Tatjana Schoenmaker and Chad Le Clos, two of South Africa’s three medal winners at the 2019 World Swimming Championships, have been nominated for awards at the 14th South Africa Sports Awards by the Minister of Sport and Recreation Nathi Mthethwa.
The winners will be announced at a gala dinner on November 10.
Tatjana Schoenmaker
Tatjana Schoenmaker; Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
Schoenmaker has been nominated for South African Sports Star of the Year Award alongside footballer Thembi Kgatlana and netball player Karla Pretorius. Schoenmaker is also up for the Sportswoman of the Year category along with Pretorius and reigning Olympic champion in the 800m Caster Semenya.
Tatjana Schoenmaker notably won two gold medals at the 2019 World University Games in early July in the 100 (1:06.42) and 200 breast (2:22.92). She also became the first South African woman to win a medal at the World Swimming Championships when she won the silver in Gwangju this year in the 200 breaststroke at 2:22.52. She also finished sixth in the 100 breast final in Gwangju at 1:06.60.
Chad Le Clos
Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
Chad Le Clos has been nominated for the Sportsman of the Year category along with paddler Andrew Birkett and boxer Moruti Mthalane. He won two bronze medals at the 2019 World Championships this year in the 100 (51.16) and 200 fly (1:54.15), despite battling a hernia during the championships. Le Clos is perhaps South Africa’s most successful swimmer ever, winning four Olympic medals in his career, including out-touching Michael Phelps in 2012 in the 200 butterfly.