For the first time in history, a photographer took home the top prize at the yearly SAB Sports Journalist of the Year Awards, which were held at the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg on Thursday night.
Veteran photographer Etienne Rothbart from the Star was named sports journalist of the year in the print and internet category — a first in the awards’ 27-year history.
Also honoured were Robert Marawa as sports journalist of the year in the radio category for his show on Metro FM and Supersport’s Alvin Naicker as sports journalist of the year in the television category.
Naicker won for his coverage of the cricket Pro 20 series and Marawa was honoured for being “a true professional” and a natural on air.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation dominated in the radio categories and Supersport in the TV group.
World-record-breaking disabled athlete Oscar Pistorius was voted most media-friendly sports personality of the year by sports journalists themselves, while boxing commentator and writer Bert Blewett was inducted into the SAB Sports Writers Hall of Fame.
The guest speaker at the awards ceremony was Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Parreira.
The three category winners each took home R15Â 000, while sub-category winners each received a R3Â 000 cash prize.
Commented print and internet judge Joe Latakgomo: “The panel of judges was highly impressed with the quality of entries for this year’s awards. Not only did we receive a record number of entries, but for the first time in many years, the entries were of such high quality that the judges often found it difficult to arrive at consensus on who the winner should be.
“Perhaps more pleasing than anything else was the number of entries received for the SAB Sports Photographer of the Year Award. The quality was superb, and the judges had to battle to separate the winners.”
And the winners are …
Print and internet sports journalist of the year: Etienne Rothbart (Star)
Radio sports journalist of the tear: Robert Marawa (Metro FM)
Television sports journalist of the year: Alvin Naicker (Supersport)
Print and internet
Sports columnist of the year: Nkareng Matshe (Star)
Sports feature writer of the year: Liryn de Jager (Rapport)
Sports news reporter of the year: Dale Granger (Cape Argus)
Merit award: sports news reporter of the year: Marc Strydom (Witness)
Sports photographer of the year: Etienne Rothbart (Star)
Merit award: sports photographer of the year: Tertius Pickard (Gallo Pictures)
Newcomer of the year: Carlos Amato (Sunday Times)
Radio
Sports commentator of the year: Johan Rademan (RSG)
Sports programme of the year: Robert Marawa (Metro FM)
Sports presenter of the year: Robert Marawa (Metro FM)
Sports insert of the year: Ashraf Garda (SAfm)
Merit award: newcomer of the year: Gerrie Scheepers (RSG)
Television
Sports programme of the year: John Clingen and Riana Kruger (Supersport)
Best live outside broadcast of the year: Alvin Naicker (Supersport)
Merit award: best live outside broadcast of the year: Jacques van Schalkwyk (Supersport)
Sports commentator of the year: Hugh Bladen (Supersport)
Newcomer of the year: Matthew Pearce (Supersport)
Sports insert of the year: Gary Rathbone (Supersport)
Most media-friendly sports personality of the year: Athlete Oscar Pistorius
SAB Sports Writers Hall of Fame inductee: Bert Blewett