The 1996 Olympic 800m silver medallist Hezekiel Sepeng is a finalist for Sports Administrator of the Year, competing against Gavin Crookes and Pholetsi Moseki.

World Under-20 sprint double champion Bayanda Walaza is shortlisted for Youth/Junior Sport Star of the Year, alongside Paralympian Simone Kruger and cyclist Noah Bennett.

The 4x100m relay team, silver medallists at the Paris Olympics, is in the running for Team of the Year, where they will face the Proteas women’s cricket team and Paralympic men’s doubles bronze medallists Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole.

In addition, the 4x400m relay team that clinched silver at the 2024 World Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, has been nominated for Youth/Junior Team of the Year, up against the SA Under-19 men’s cricket team and the SA Under-19 men’s tug-of-war team.

Paralympic gold medalist Mpumelelo Mhlongo is nominated in two categories, namely Sportsman of the Year with a Disability and Sport Star of the Year.

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While sprint star Akani Simbine is also nominated for the Sportsman of the Year and Sport Star of the Year awards.

Molotsane said the nominations reflect the success of ASA’s development programmes.

“It’s encouraging to see our development structures producing results, with athletes holding their own against the best in the world. Athletics in South Africa is on the right track — we’re leading in development, even if the recognition doesn’t always come publicly,” Molotsane said to SABC Sport.

We are working tirelessly to grow our athletes, and the rewards are starting to show.

We wish them the best at the SA Sports Awards and hope they bring those accolades home — it would be an incredible honour for our trophy cabinet.

These nominations are a testament to the hard work of our athletes and mark a proud chapter in the ASA story.”

With the World Senior Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, scheduled for 13–21 September, Molotsane — the 2017 Spar Women’s 10km Challenge Grand Prix champion — believes the awards recognition will serve as extra motivation.

“Our athletes are already doing well internationally, and being acknowledged at home will only boost their confidence.

It will push them to work even harder in Tokyo. They’ve put South African athletics firmly on the world map,” she said.

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