TENNIS ace Cara Black was on Thursday night named Zimbabwe’s Sports Person of the Year for a third time at the Annual National Sports Awards.
Black, 31, beat two-time Comrades Marathon winner Stephen Muzhingi, winning her third title after scooping the top award in 2006 and 2007.
Cara was also named the Sportswoman of the Year, beating long distance runner, Sharon Tavengwa, and swimmer Kirsty Coventry, for the award.
Black won the Australian Open and Wimbledon in the mixed doubles this year. She was also victorious in the women’s doubles after winning the ASB Classic in New Zealand, the Sydney International in Australia and the AEGON Classic in Birmingham, England.
Promising sprinter, Tinashe Mutanga, who shot to prominence when he won two gold medals in the 100m and 200m events at the inaugural African Youth Games, held in Rabat, Morocco, was named the Junior Sportsperson of the Year.
Wheelchair tennis player, Nyasha Mharakurwa, won the Sportsman of the Year (Disability). He won the Harare Open tournament early this year.
National assistant cricket coach Stephen Mangongo was named the Coach of the Year. Mangongo won the Stanbic Bank T2O tournament in February with Mountaineers and went on to win the MetBank-Faithwear one day competition before he left the club to take up a new role as the national team assistant coach in April.
Cricket also won the Technical Official of the Year award with umpire Russel Tiffin being judged the best umpire while Zimbabwe Cricket won the Sports Administration of the Year award. ZC also won the Sports Development Award.
The Zimbabwe Under-19 rugby team were crowned Team of the Year and they beat the Cheetahs and the netball team.
Sportsperson of the Year: Cara Black
Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Tinashe Mutanga
Sportsman of the Year: Steven Muzhingi (athletics), Brendon De Jonge (golf), Tinei Mharidzo (professional boxing)
Sportswoman of the Year: Cara Black (tennis), Sharon Tavengwa (athletics), Kirsty Coventry (swimming)
Sportsman of the Year (Disability): Nyasha Mharakurwa (wheelchair tennis), Elford Moyo (athletics), Edmund Makutya (athletics)
Sportswoman of the Year (Disability): Bangajena Margaret (athletics), Moline Majoni (athletics), Dorcas Hwatira (athletics)
Junior Sportsman of the Year: Tinashe Mutanga (athletics), Ben-Follet Smith (golf), Tayne Turnock (BMX)
Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Tyla-Shae Donaldson (BMX), Thabile Tshatedi (tennis), Sithulisiwe Zhou (athletics)
Junior Sportsman of the Year (Disability): Brian Mafuvise (wheelchair tennis)
Junior Sportswoman of the Year (Disability): Dadirai Jack (Special Olympics golf)
Technical Official (Umpire/Referee) of the Year: Russel Tiffin (cricket), Joyce Muchenu (basketball), Pamela Chiwaya (football)
Coach of the Year: Stephen Mangongo (cricket), Brighton Chivandire (rugby), Norman Mapeza (football)
Sports Administration Award of the Year: Zimbabwe Cricket, National BMX Association of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Netball Association
Sport Development Award of the Year: Zimbabwe Cricket, Wheelchair Tennis Zimbabwe, Sailing Association Zimbabwe
Team of the Year: Under-19 rugby, Netball, Rugby (Cheetahs Sevens)
Special Acknowledgement of the Year Award: Prince Edward School, Danhiko, COTTCO