President of Netball South Africa, Cecilia Molokwane, has been named the first-ever gsport Newsmaker of the Year, for championing the growth of netball in 2019 and for her work behind Cape Town’s winning bid to host the Netball World Cup in 2023.
She has gone on to be named President of Netball Africa and will also serve as the International Netball Federation’s Director for Africa. Molokwane has won notable awards this year, including Administrator of the Year at the SA Sport Awards, while Netball South Africa won Federation of the Year at the Momentum gsport Awards.
The gsport Annual List is star studded and includes women’s sport royalty like Dubai Para Athletics Championship triple medallist, Anrune Weyers, Springbok women’s rugby captain, Babalwa Latsha – recently signed with a Spanish club in a historic move, Olympic-bound gymnast, Caitlin Rooskrantz – who won South Africa’s first-ever international gymnastics medal, and the ever-resilient Caster Semenya, who has stood tall despite the daunting challenges she faced this year.
Also making the list are AC Milan star Refiloe Jane – the first South African woman to sign with an Italian football outfit; Saray Khumalo – the first African woman to summit Everest; African Champions SPAR Proteas team – who also secured a best-ever fourth-placed World Cup finish; World Cup double gold medallist, Tatjana Schoenmaker; and CAF African Women’s Player of the Year, Thembi Kgatlana – who scored the opening goal representing Banyana Banyana at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
gsport editor, Kass Naidoo, said: “When we launched gsport in 2006, there was virtually no positive coverage of the achievements of women’s sport in South Africa. Thirteen years later, we are in a position to put together a list of Top 10 newsmakers in one of our toughest assignments.
“This event is distinguished from the annual Momentum gsport Awards – which receive public nominations adjudicated by an independent judging panel; while the gsport Annual List is compiled in-house and is informed by leading events in the gsport newsroom through the year.”
GSPORT ANNUAL LIST – #GAL2019
Anrune Weyers:
Wins gold, silver and bronze medals at the Dubai World Para Athletics Championships
Babalwa Latsha:
Leads the Springbok women to 2021 Rugby World Cup qualification and becomes the first South African to sign a professional club contract in Spain
Caitlin Rooskrantz:
Qualifies for Tokyo 2020 after becoming the first South African to win a gold medal at an international gymnastics competition
Caster Semenya:
Semenya runs the quickest ever 800metres on US soil at June’s Prefontaine Classic Diamond League and fights valiantly in court battles with the IAAF.
Cecilia Molokwane:
Secures Cape Town as host city for the 2023 Netball World Cup, named Administrator of the Year at SA Sport Awards and named President of Netball Africa
Refiloe Jane:
The first South African woman to sign with an Italian professional outfit (AC Milan)
Saray Khumalo:
The first African woman to summit Mount Everest
SPAR Proteas:
Conquerors of Africa and best fourth place Netball World Cup finish in 25 years
Tatjana Schoenmaker:
World Cup double gold medallist, World Championship silver medallist and double gold World Student Games medallist
Thembi Kgatlana:
Reigning African Women’s Player of the Year and scorer of the opening goal at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France this year
