Welcome back, after two years, to the prestige Free State Sport Stars awards function, where achievers on the sportsfield are acknowledged for their exceptional performance.
This glamorous event, presented by Central24 and the University of the Free State (UFS), will take place at Monte Bello in Bloemfontein on Thursday 13 October.
The guest speaker is the vibrant Vanes-Mari du Toit, former Protea netball player, who is also known for being a TV presenter and motivational speaker.
This is the first year that Central24 and the UFS are partnering to present the awards after Covid-19 thwarted this highlight on the local sporting calender in 2020 and 2021.
Volksblad, who partnered with the UFS in 2017, 2018 and 2019, remains a media sponsor.
The coverage for the event has, however, broadened in the sense that Central24, as part of Media24’s local newspaper team, picks up the baton as organiser, together with the UFS.
This group’s weekly newspapers in the Free State, Express, Bloem News and VrystaatKroon will therefore now, in addition to Volksblad, also report about the nominees and their achievements before, as well as after, the awards function.
In 2015, on request, Volksblad took over the yearly awards function of the now defunct Free State Sports Media, formerly known as the Free State Sports Writers’ Association.
The sports writers’ awards ceremony was a yearly institution since the 1950s, with sportsmen and women like Gary Player, Karen Muir, Morné du Plessis, Hestrie Cloete, Penny Heyns and many more gracing the event as guest speakers.
The UFS became involved as fellow host in 2016, and the awards became a twofold event – through which the UFS acknowledged its achievers and Volksblad saluted Free State stars.
Previous guest speakers are Wayde van Niekerk and Ans Botha in 2016 (shortly after his Olympic gold medal and world record); Franco Smith in 2017 (after the Cheetahs’ Currie Cup victory); Neil Powell in 2018 (after the Blitzboks won the World Rugby Sevens Series) and Ryan McLaren, Protea cricket player, in 2019.
Rassie Erasmus, Springbok coach, was already confirmed to be the guest speaker for 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
During a meeting about the event for 2022, Prof. Francis Petersen, vice-chancellor and rector of the UFS, as well as Jeannine van Zyl, general manager of Central24, both welcomed the continuation of the Free State Sport Stars awards function in the spirit of acknowledging sporting achievements in addition to contributing to the community.
Mentorship and role models in sport is again the theme for this year’s event.
The hosting of the event is made possible through sponsorships.
- Attendance of the prestige Free State Sport Stars awards function can be booked at R4 200 per table (for ten guests) or R420 for a single ticket.
All enquiries about the event can be directed to Ainslee Oosthuyen by sending an email to ainslee@spottedapple.co.za or dialing 074-120-4450.
