First ever Lesotho Annual Sports Awards set for February

Lesotho's top sports performers set to be recognised...

The first ever Lesotho Annual Sports Awards (LASA) will be held on February 25 at a venue yet to be announced.

The awards will feature a total of 17 categories including a legends category which will be called the Sports Legacy Awards.

The awards have been introduced by the Lesotho Sports and Recreation Commission and LSRC development manager Mofihli Makoele said all winners will receive trophies while all finalists will get a certificate of appreciation.

The awards will have the following categories: 

- Junior female and junior male sportsperson of the year

- Sportsman and Sportswoman of the year

- Sportsman and Sportswoman of the year with a disability

- Newcomer of the year

- Administrator of the year

- Volunteer of the year

- National federation of the year

- Sports school of the year

- Sports team of the year

- Coach of the year

- Umpire/Referee of the year

- Journalist of the year

- Sports show of the year

- Sport Legacy Awards (8)

- Sports star of the year

Awards to be held on February 25

Makoele said the LSRC has introduced the awards to recognise and reward Basotho who are excelling in their respective sporting codes.

All the categories, except the legends section, will consider achievements from January 2016 to December 2016.

The public will also be able to vote for the winner of the Sports Star of the Year, Sports Show of Year and the Journalist of the Year awards via an SMS voting line.

This year’s Lesotho Annual Sports Awards will also see a special minister’s award. The accolade will see Sports Minister Mathibeli Mokhothu reward Lesotho’s medallists at last month’s African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games.

Lesotho produced an improved performance at the regional games collecting 13 medals – six gold, three silver and four bronze. It was an improvement on the team’s display from 2014 when it collected only 10 medals.

The AUSC games gold medallists from will receive M5000 each, the silver medallists will get M3000 and the bronze medallists will be given M1500.

Makoele said: “The Lesotho Annual Sports Awards will contribute positively in making associations support their athletes who will win awards. And that will help us produce a number of athletes with a high degree of excellence for the country.”