On Women in Sport!
The gsport Awards is a pinnacle event in South Africa’s sporting calendar, dedicated to honouring and elevating the profiles of women in sport. Used as the launch event of the gsport initiative in August 2006, twelve years after the dawn of democracy in South Africa, the Awards’ vision is elevate the profile of women in sport, and to secure greater corporate support for sportswomen.
The gsport Awards is Africa’s longest-running women’s sport recognition platform and its 18th hosting marks its enduring dedication to women’s sport. The platform unearths new icons and role models who are relentlessly breaking barriers, both on and off the field.
The Awards is a collaborative effort, with leading insurer Momentum playing a critical role as the Naming Rights Partner since 2019. The partnership seeks not only to celebrate and recognise successful women in sport, but also to close the sponsorship gap between women’s and men’s sport.
The Department of Sport, Arts & Culture has been backing this recognition platform since the eighth year of the Awards, and honours five Ministerial Recognition Award winners on the night.
Hosted at the prestigious Wanderers Club, the Awards have grown over the years, with prize money introduced in 2019 at the 14th edition, allowing winners to invest in their careers.
Since its inception, over 200 recipients have been honoured, with swimming legend Penny Heyns being the notable inspiration behind the launch of the initiative.
Heyns, a double gold medallist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, was inducted into the gsport Hall of Fame on 1 August 2006, setting forth a journey of recognition for women in sport that has changed lives and elevated careers.
The annual event serves as a grand celebration of women’s achievements in sport, set against the backdrop of a festive gala where the who’s who of South African sport congregate.
The gsport Awards has come a long way since its inception, with a growing list of nominees and winners each year, displaying the increasing diversity and strength of women’s sport in South Africa.
It’s a testament to the vision of the gsport Trust and its founder, Kass Naidoo, that the Awards continue to inspire and create a lasting impact, making them a remarkable fixture in South Africa’s sports landscape.