Sports awards launched in Windhoek
• By Michael Uugwanga
THE 2024 Namibia Annual Sports Awards (NASA) was launched in the capital last week to celebrate the sports excellence of athletes, coaches, administrators and journalists who have worked tirelessly over the past year.
This year’s event, which is slated for 23 November in Windhoek, with the venue yet to be confirmed, will be in its 20th anniversary, which will go in hand with the Hall of Fame event, which will see athletes, coaches, administrators and sports journalists who have contributed tremendously in sport, be rewarded at a separate event, with its date and venue also yet to be confirmed.
The launch of the 2024 NASA took place at the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) head office in Windhoek, which was attended mainly by sports administrators and some federations/associations.
Speaking at the lunch, NASA’s projector director Magic Nyambe said that nomination for individuals or sports teams will start on Friday (05 July), and the closing date for nomination is 20 September.
“Opening for nomination will commence on Friday until 20 September, which means that you have two months to submit in. The finalists in each category will be 16 October as the panel judges will then finalize the whole process on 24 October. The awards will be held on 23 November in Windhoek, but the venue is yet to be communicated. There will be 20 different categories. I am therefore urging you to submit in,” said Nyambe.
Lesly Tjiueza, the head of NASA panel of judges, reminded the federations/associations and journalists that, just like any other awards, nominations are judges based on their excellent achievement and in-depth stories done between 01 October 2023 and 30 September this year.
“What must be on paper is what you have achieved. We are being audited by Hamilton and Co. For journalist categories we will look at the in-depth issues, we look at the balance of the story and that it has avoided sensational,” said Tjiueza.
Erwin Handura, the new development officer at NSC, talked of the process regarding the Hall of Fame, an event that will be separately hosted, saying that the event will honour athletes, coaches, administrators and journalists who have contributed to the sport’s development.
“The Hall of Fame is a dedication to place pictures of contributors in the sport fraternity. We will be honouring sport excellence by top athletes. Where it is going to be held, we will communicate the venue on that. Meaning it is an event that will be hosted every year. We will also be launching a log for that,” said Handura.