Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies were among those who were honoured at the GSport Annual List of Newsmakers in Rosebank, Johannesburg on Wednesday (7 December 2022).
Five months after lifting their maiden continental title (TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations) in Morocco, the South African Senior Women’s National Team continues to make headlines and reap rewards for their historic achievement.
Head coach Desiree Ellis was on hand to receive the award, accompanied by South African Football Association (SAFA) COO Lydia Monyepao.
Banyana Banyana is among the four nations (Zambia, Nigeria and Morocco) that will represent the African continent at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand – and this will be South Africa’s second participation in succession at the global event.
Also named at the 2022 gsport Annual List of Newsmakers was Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies. Banyana Ba Style were recognised for winning the Hollywoodbets Super League (their third title in a row) and also earning a runners-up spot at the second edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League in Morocco – the South Africans won the inaugural title in 2021.
The gsport Annual List of Newsmakers is an initiative that was launched in 2019 to grow the coverage of women’s sports and help close the visibility gap of women in sports.
Since inception, new names have grabbed headlines and several stars and athletes become big name players.
The GSport Annual List of Newsmakers List is informed by daily reporting in the gsport Newsroom that is powered by Momentum in partnership with Telkom.
Monthly lists of newsmakers are announced in the build-up to the annual event in December every year.
Banyana Banyana’s latest honour comes shortly after they were recognised (last month) at the Chancellor’s Calabash Awards in Johannesburg by UNISA Chancellor, former State President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, for numerous achievements.
Ellis and Monyepao were on hand to receive the award.
The South African Women’s National Team has been on the lips of many sports lovers since their exploits in North Africa.
They are only the third nation to win the WAFCON – Nigeria has lifted the trophy nine times while Equatorial Guinea has claimed victory on two occasions.
In addition, and just this year alone, Banyana Banyana were named the National Team of the Year while Ellis, for the third year running, was chosen as the CAF Women’s Coach of the Year. Andile Dlamini walked away with the Goalkeeper of the Year accolade and South Africa won the Fair Play Award at the end of the WAFCON.
The other eight recipients at the 2022 gsport Annual List of Newsmakers were Caitlin Rooskrantz, Golden Fireballs, KG Montjane, Lara van Niekerk, Marizanne Kapp, Michaela Whitebooi, Saskia Hockly and Zanele Mdodana.
Meanwhile Kapp was named the 2022 gsport Newsmaker of the Year, becoming the fourth recipient of the award.
She follows in the footsteps of inaugural winner Cecilia Molokwane (Netball South Africa President -2019); Karla Pretorius (Netball player – 2020) and Dané van Niekerk (Momentum Proteas and Oval Invincibles – 2021).
2022 gsport Annual List Recipients:
- Banyana Banyana – 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup participants
- Caitlin Rooskrantz – 2022 African Artistic Championships Senior WAG champion and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist
- Golden Fireballs – First time winners of the Telkom Netball League
- KG Montjane – 2022 Wheelchair Doubles US Open runner-up and leading brand ambassador
- Lara van Niekerk – Commonwealth Games double gold medallist and triple Momentum gsport Awards winner
- Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies – Leading women’s football club in South Africa and 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League runners-up
- Marizanne Kapp – ICC Player of the Month for the month of June, Women’s Big Bash League history maker and second consecutive Player of the Final award in 2022 edition of The Hundred
- Michaela Whitebooi – Won Gold in the women’s 48kg at Birmingham 2022, becoming one of the first two-time SA women judokas to reach the podium in Commonwealth history
- Saskia Hockly – ICF Canoe Marathon Championships Junior Women’s K1 bronze, Junior Women’s K2 silver, ICF Ocean Racing World Championship gold, Pete Marlin Surfski champion and Ocean Heroes gold
- Zanele Mdodana – Coached Maties Netball to their first USSA Netball title in 27 years and then went on to lead her charges to an unbeaten maiden Varsity Netball title
By Matlhomola Morake
