South African sport has earned a badge of excellence after receiving a record number of nominations for the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards.
The upcoming Laureus World Sports Awards, set to take place on 22 April in Madrid, are widely acknowledged as the pinnacle of sporting recognition. South Africa’s attainment of four nominations is a testament to the immense talent in South Africa’s sporting realm.
The following athletes and organisations were nominated in various categories:
- The Springboks for World Team of the Year.
- Springbok captain Siya Kolisi for Comeback of the Year.
- South African sailor Kirsten Neuschäfer for World Action Sportsperson of the Year.
- Non-profit, Justice Desk Africa for the Sport for Good Award.
The Springboks have previously been awarded the World Team of the Year Award following their Rugby World Cup (RWC) victories in 2008 and 2020. Still, their recent success in France and the notoriety of being the first team in history to win the Webb Ellis Cup four times ensured this year’s nomination.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi’s nomination in the Comeback of the Year category is not only for his contribution to the back-to-back RWC wins, but also for his swift return to the field only 119 days after surgery to repair a knee injury.
In recognition of her remarkable feat as the first female to triumph in a solo round-the-world race, Kirsten Neuschäfer received a much-deserved nomination for World Action Sportsperson of the Year.
Last April, Neuschäfer completed a gruelling 235-day voyage, which included a rescue mission to save another competitor, before going on to win the Golden Globe race, a solo non-stop yacht race around the world.
To round off what is undeniably one of South Africa’s most remarkable sporting years, Cape Town-based youth empowerment programme Justice Desk Africa was nominated for the Sport for Good Award. The award-winning human rights organisation, operating across various African countries, strives to promote everyday activism through training and education opportunities.
This remarkable display of talent and resilience, acknowledged by these prestigious nominations, is a testament to South Africa’s mark of excellence on the global sporting stage.
