South Africa’s top performing road runners, and track and field stars, were recognised for their efforts during the 2023 season by receiving well-deserved accolades at the annual ASA Awards over the weekend.
Distance runner Adriaan Wildschutt and sprint hurdler Marione Fourie were the big winners on the night, taking home the awards for ASA Male Athlete of the Year and ASA Female Athlete of the Year, respectively.
Wildschutt enjoyed a spectacular season, breaking national records in the 3 000m (7:52.38), 5 000m (13:02.46) and 10 000m (27:23.10) distances. He also took 14th place in the 10 000m final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
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Fourie also enjoyed a memorable year on the track, shattering the national 100m hurdles record when she clocked 12.55 at a meeting in Switzerland. At the World Championships she reached the semifinals in her specialist event.
In other categories at the ASA Awards in Kempton Park, ultra-distance runners Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn received Platinum awards.
Both athletes broke the ‘down’ run records at the 2023 Comrades Marathon in KwaZulu-Natal, while Dijana set a new national 50km mark by crossing the line in 2:39:04 in Gqeberha and Steyn broke her own South African record over the standard marathon distance stopping the clock at 2:24:03 in Valencia.
In the category of Personality of the Year, which was decided by public vote, the award went to 17 year-old middle-distance runner Wiepke Schoeman.
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Award winners in all categories:
Male Athlete of the Year – Adriaan Wildschutt
Female Athlete of the Year – Marione Fourie
Junior Male Athlete of the Year – Armand van der Walt
Junior Female Athlete of the Year – Chane Kok
Male Prospect of the Year – Hencu Lamberts
Female Prospect of the Year – Alicia Khunou
Sportsman of the Year with a Disability – Mpumelelo Mhlongo
Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability – Simone Kruger
Platinum award – Tete Dijana
Platinum award – Gerda Steyn
Sports Personality of the Year – Wiepke Schoeman
Coach of the Year – Michael Mbambani
Technical Official of the Year – Estelle Opperman
Technical Recognition by ASA President – Rosalinda Koch
Technical Recognition by ASA President – Pieter de Jager
Best Organised Championships – ASA Senior Championships (Athletics Central North West).
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