BLOEMFONTEIN – A host of Free State athletes who excelled during the period 1 July 2024 to 31 October 2025 will be recognised at the Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation (DSACR) annual sport awards. The event is hosted in partnership with the Free State Sport Confederation (FSSC) and will recognise the best performers across 20 categories at a ceremony to be held on Saturday 15 August at Lemo Green Park in Bloemfontein.

The event recognises men and women with and without a disability who represented the Free State and South Africa. The department stated that candidates would be rewarded for keeping the passion for sport alive in the hearts of millions.
This year’s awards include the categories of MEC’s Excellence award, MEC’s Lifetime Achiever award, MEC’s Posthumous award and the Sports Star of the Year award. Entries received from individuals, teams and administrators across the province’s sporting landscape culminated in the selection of finalists.

Ntombizanele Sifuba, MEC for the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, stresses that provincial sports awards remain one of the province’s most prestigious platforms for recognising sporting excellence, resilience and discipline.

“We are immensely proud of our athletes and sports officials who continue to elevate our province through passion, professionalism and innovation. These nominations are a reflection of the strength and richness of sport in our province. We wish every finalist the very best; your dedication and hard work have truly paid off,” said Sifuba.

Finalists for sportswoman of the year with a disability include Louzanne Coetzee and Naledi Nhlapo.

Three candidates made the grade for the sportswoman of the year title. They are Lael Malherbe (World Fitness Federation), Johanita Scholtz (badminton) and Lynette Fischer (triathlon). The sportsman of the year finalists are highly talented young athletes on the national and international stage: rapidly rising rugby star Erich Visser (currently on the books of the Free State Cheetahs); the 200 m and 400 m track star Mthi Mthimkulu; and Kobus Barnard, archery veteran and the winner in 2022.