Top names have been underlined for the Fiji Sports Council Awards Night on February 26. The 2009 Sportsman’s awards will be a toss between Niko Verekauta (Athletics), Ratish Lal (Men’s Single Bowls), Nemani Takayawa (Judo), Iliesa Delana (Disabled Sports), Jarryd Hayne (Rugby League) and Weightlifting gold medal lifter Manueli Tulo. The women’s category will be quite interesting given the fact there were minimal exposure during international competitions in 2009. The netball saga last year did very little to further women’s sports in Fiji. Again, 3-time FSC top female athlete winner Makelesi Batimala is in the running for her fourth title. She faces stiff competition from Valerie Nainima who plays her basketball for the South Carolina University team, Weightlifting’s Maria Liku and Judo’s Sisilia Nasiga. About 600 people are expected to attend t his year’s awards and an international sports personality will be one of the key speakers, beside vibrant personality Merewalesi Nailatikau who won double victories last year as Miss Hibiscus and Miss South Pacific Pageant. Chinese Ambassador in Fiji, Han Zhiqiang will be the chief guest on the night. Since the event started in 1981 when Justine Macaskill of Swimming and Viliame Takayawa of Judo won the awards, only athletics has won the most awards with 20 in both categories whilst rugby won seven times during the 28 year period of the Fiji Sports Awards. Only in 2002 was the event cancelled. So far only two of Fiji’s international athletes have won the awards on three separate occasions - Makelesi Bulikiobo for Athletics in 2001, 2007 and 2008 whilst Waisale Serevi took honors in 1990, 1997 and 2005 for rugby. Fifteen sporting federations have nominated their entries in the individual male category and 12 will be in the individual women’s awards, but 70 awards will be up for grabs during the event where Team of the Year, Young Athlete, National male and female athlete of the Year and other awards will be presented to nominees.
The Fiji Sun Online
Wednesday 10th February, 2010
Last Modified on 11/02/2010 13:40
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