There was glitz and glamour at Sunbird Nkopola in Mangochi on Friday evening during Malawi Sports Awards gala as Malawi National Council of Sports recognised outstanding sports personalities and associations for the year 2024.
Hundreds of sports personalities battled it out in 14 categories and after a thorough process, the winners were revealed during the awards gala held under the theme ‘Celebrating sporting excellence’.
Ministry of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire, who was guest of honour, said the event confirmed government’s commitment to awarding achievers in all sports codes, especially those regarded as minority sports.
He said: “First, allow me to thank most sincerely, the Malawi National Council of Sports and the organising committee for professionally organising this event.
“To recognise and honour achievements and contributions of various sport personalities and stakeholders towards sports development in the country. In a special way, allow me also to thank all our sponsors to the success of this event.
“I do not take this gesture for granted, but this is a demonstration of your commitment to work with the government in matters of national development.
representative Isabel Chawinga
| Courtesy of Sports Council
“The government, through my ministry is committed across all sports disciplines, including those that are considered as minority sports, knowing that not all people can be accommodated in the traditional sport. Recognising athletes, officials and sports stakeholders using such a platform gives the energy and impetus for them to do even more.”
“Government, on its part, is exploring ways of improving funding for all sports disciplines to ensure that more programmes are implemented and reach more athletes. Congratulations to all the nominees that made it to the final stage of this contests. I do believe that what makes you special is not the actual winning, but what you did to reach this level among the hundreds of nominees.”
On his part, Sports Council chief executive officer Henry Kamata said the coming in of cricket as a dominant sport in the awards is a big encouragement because it is the council’s wish to see as many disciplines as possible coming out of the woods to be entities tp reckon with.
“This is good as it shows the development of sports in the country,” he said.
Malawi Cricket was the toast of the night as it grabbed the Sports Association of the Year accolade, the National Team of the Year award through the Malawi Under-19 women’s cricket team and the Coach of the Year honours through the team’s mentor Gershom Mtambalika.
The sport also secured nominations in six of the 12 categories it was eligible for to become a code with the most nominations since the Malawi National Council of Sports-organised inaugural awards in 2017.
In other categories, swimmer Tasunje Mkavea claimed the Junior Male Sportsperson of the Year while Karateka Samantha Mwamondwe did it in the female section.
Paralympic athletes Moses Misoya and Taonere Banda bagged the Sportsman of the Year with Disability and the Sports Woman of the Year with Disability awards, respectively.
Bodybuilder Zaccheus Phiri was decorated as the Sportsman of the Year as Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) president Vitumbiko Gubuduza became the Best Sports Administrator of the Year.
Chess Association of Malawi’s (Chessam) Chess in Schools Programme was named as the Best Executed Sports Development Programme.
For the first time, sports journalists were also honoured with Times Group’s Mphatso Malidadi doing it in print category.
Raymond Siyaya Junior of Chanco Radio excelled in electronic section.
