THE National Sports Commission (NSC) says plans are progressing smoothly with regard to the 2016 National Sports Awards, with the body aiming to host the new-age ceremony on May 7 during the 50th anniversary celebration.
Director of Sport Chris Jones, during a press briefing on Monday, confirmed that plans are moving along smoothly with an eye to ensuring that this year trumps the previous years’ ceremonies.
“So far, so good, we are in the process of sending the letters to the various associations/federations, informing them that they could make the submissions identifying the sports men, women, journalists and associations.” said Jones
“They will not be collectively identified individuals but will be individually identified individuals and based on the amount of votes for an individual or association, a different group will actually be the people who put those together and confirm who is the individual that would win the sport award,” confirmed the director.
He stated that contrary to previous years, there will be anonymity in the selection, adding “no one individual knows who will be an awardee until the day. So on the day (of the awards), those envelopes will be opened and if there are four nominees in that particular area, that one individual will be identified only when that envelope is opened.”
Guyana and West Indies spin bowler Devendra Bishoo is the reigning Sportsman-of-the-Year, while track athlete Cassie George won both the senior and junior Sportswoman-of-the-Year awards.
Motor racer Kristian Jeffrey received the runner-up Sportsman-of-the-Year award, while squash player Akeila Wiltshire was the runner-up Junior Sportswoman.
The runner-up Junior Sportsman award went to Shemron Hetmyer, while track athlete Jason Yaw collected the Junior Sportsman-of-the-Year award.
Multitalented athlete Alisha Fortune won the runner-up Sportswoman-of-the-Year award.
The Guyana Rugby Football Union also cashed in on the Most Improved Association, the Sports Association-of-the-Year and the Sports Team-of-the-Year awards.
Stabroek News’ Orlando Charles and Emerson Campbell won the Best Photographer and Print Journalism award respectively, while Guyana Television Channel 28’s Avenesh Ramzan won the Best Sports Journalist (non-print),
GRFU president Peter Greene won the Male Sports Personality award and National Rugby coach Theodore Henry won the Sports Coach award.

By Stephan Sookram