SPORTS men and women that excelled this year are set to be rewarded and recognized in a colorful ceremony on the 13th of January next year. The event is being organized by the Rwanda Sports Press Network, an organization of sports journalists that encompasses reporters from both print and electronic media. According to Peter Kamasa, the Secretary General of the organization, the awards will not only be a land mark in the appreciation of people who excel in sports, but will also spur on athletes to perform well in future sports competitions. “We want to create a culture of recognizing and rewarding sports men who excel in local, regional, continental and world competitions. This will not spur athletes in performing well but also encourage young people to join sports,” Kamasa said. The awards that will be given include Best performers in every that includes disciplines- Athletics, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Football, Golf, Handball, Rally, Rugby, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball, Karate, Sports for the Disabled, RISPN Personality of Year RISPN Team of the Year, RISPN Coach of the Year, RISPN Young Player of the Year, RISPN Outstanding person in supporting development of Sports, RISPN Leading Sports supporter Some of the leading contenders include: the National Paralympics team that qualified for next year’s London Paralympics games, Amavubi for finishing second in the 2012 qualifiers and runners-up in the Cecafa cup, Adrien Niyonshuti for qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics, Milutin Micho Sredojevic for guiding Amavubi to 7 wins in 9 matches in just 42 days among others. ostine.arinaitwe@newtimes.co.rw
