Momentum Proteas, Oval Invincibles and Perth Scorchers star all-rounder, Marizanne Kapp has been named Newsmaker of the Year at the gsport Annual List of Newsmakers 2022.
Launched in 2019 to grow the coverage of women’s sport, the gsport Annual List of Newsmakers (#GAL2022) initiative has helped close the visibility gap of women in sport and has seen new names grabbing the headlines and becoming big name players.
The gsport Annual List of Newsmakers is informed by daily reporting in the gsport Newsroom powered by Momentum in partnership with Telkom. Monthly lists of newsmakers are announced in the build-up to the annual event in December.
This year, Kapp has been dominating headlines, playing a vital role for the Momentum Proteas, as well as shining in global leagues in England (The Hundred) and Australia (Women’s Big Bash League).
As part of her accolades over the past few months, the 32-year-old was named ICC Player of the Month for the month for June, securing the award ahead of compatriot and fast bowler Shabnim Ismail and England’s Nat Sciver.
Kapp was lauded for her standout performance for SA in the drawn one-off Test against England in Taunton. In her first Test match since 2014 Kapp walked to the crease with the Proteas’ backs against the wall at 45/4 and produced a batting masterclass, scoring a national record 150.
Her resistance salvaged a respectable 284 for SA in the first innings, and while England set an imposing score in response, Kapp again starred for her team with an unbeaten 43 before rain had the final say on the final day.
Later in September, Kapp stood out once again with her second consecutive Player of the Final award as she guided Oval Invincibles to back-to-back titles in The Hundred competition.
Kapp has just returned from the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia, where she made history while featuring for Perth Scorchers.
This season, she became the first overseas player to make her 100th WBBL appearance and also surpassed 1000 runs in the competition.
Football features strongly on the #GAL2022 list, with Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions, Banyana Banyana receiving honours for dominating the continental showpiece and for qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Another football giant, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies receive recognition for earning the CAF Women’s Champions League runners-up honours in November.
Gymnast Caitlin Rooskrantz continues to put SA Gymnastics on the map. In July, Rooskrantz was crowned the senior WAG African Champion at the 16th Annual African Artistic Championships in Cairo, Egypt. This was the first time in eight years that a South African gymnast achieved this feat.
Weeks later, Rooskrantz went on to make headlines at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where she finished third to get on the podium after her performance in the final women’s artistic apparatus.
The Gauteng Golden Fireballs are also recognised on the list after walking away with a historic maiden Telkom Netball League title, after defeating five-time champions Gauteng Jaguars in the final.
Leading wheelchair tennis sensation, Kgothatso Montjane enjoyed her year both on and off the court. At the US Open, Montjane and her doubles partner, Yui Kamiji earned runners-up medals.
While, off the court, Montjane continues to make waves in the sponsorship game as she attracts increased corporate support and leads the way as one of sport’s top ambassadors.
2022 Momentum gsport Awards triple winner, Lara van Niekerk joins the esteemed list after her heroics on the international stage. This year, van Niekerk won double gold, stealing the show in Birmingham at the Commonwealth Games.
Van Niekerk is currently in Melbourne, Australia where she will be aiming to continue with her gold medal performances at the World Short Course Championship.
Judoka Michaela Whitebooi celebrated gold in the women’s 48kg competition at Birmingham 2022, becoming one of the first two-time SA women judokas to reach the podium in Commonwealth history.
Featuring for the first time on the gsport Annual List, rising South African canoe marathon athlete Saskia Hockly, has been making headlines over the past few months.
Hockly made a grand opening at the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships grabbing a bronze medal in the Junior Women’s K1 race.
Later in the competition, she paired up with her sister, Valma-Jean earning silver in the Junior Women’s K2 U18 race.
At the ICF Ocean Racing World Championship, Hockly successfully defended her junior race title.
On her return to local shores, Hockly went on to win the Pete Marlin Surfski race, as well as the Ocean Heroes gold title.
Completing the list is former Spar Proteas captain, Zanele Mdodana, who coached the Maties Netball team to their first USSA Netball title in 27 years and led her charges to an unbeaten maiden Varsity Netball title victory.
2022 gsport Annual List Recipients (Alphabetical Order):
Banyana Banyana – 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup participants
Caitlin Rooskrantz – 2022 African Artistic Championships Senior WAG champion and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist
Golden Fireballs – First time winners of the Telkom Netball League
KG Montjane – 2022 Wheelchair Doubles US Open runner-up and leading brand ambassador
Lara van Niekerk – Commonwealth Games double gold medallist and triple Momentum gsport Awards winner
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies – Leading women’s football club in South Africa and 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League runners-up
Marizanne Kapp – ICC Player of the Month for the month of June, Women’s Big Bash League history maker and second consecutive Player of the Final award in 2022 edition of The Hundred
Michaela Whitebooi – Won Gold in the women’s 48kg at Birmingham 2022, becoming one of the first two-time SA women judokas to reach the podium in Commonwealth history
Saskia Hockly – ICF Canoe Marathon Championships Junior Women’s K1 bronze, Junior Women’s K2 silver, ICF Ocean Racing World Championship gold, Pete Marlin Surfski champion and Ocean Heroes gold
Zanele Mdodana – Coached Maties Netball to their first USSA Netball title in 27 years and then went on to lead her charges to an unbeaten maiden Varsity Netball title
Previous gsport Annual List of Newsmakers include:
Momentum Proteas and Oval Invincibles captain, Dané van Niekerk, grabbed top honours when she won the 2021 gsport Newsmaker award for bouncing back from injury to represent the national team with aplomb and lead the Oval Invincibles to the title in the inaugural edition of The Hundred.
International netball sensation, Karla Pretorius won the #GAL2020 Newsmaker of the Year in 2020 after winning Player of the Tournament at the 2019 Netball World Cup.
In the inaugural edition of the gsport Newsmakers event in 2019, Netball South Africa President, Cecilia Molokwane, won Newsmaker of the Year at #GAL2019 for her role in South Africa winning the right to host the 2023 Netball World Cup.
gsport was launched in August 2006 to raise the profile of women’s sport, and has grown into South Africa’s leading women’s sport news provider in 2022, covering women’s sport daily on gsport.co.za and #gsport4girls across social media.
Photo 1 Caption: Recipients and presenters at the 2022 gsport Annual List (#GAL2022) included (from left) Asanda Magaqa (on behalf of Zanele Mdodana), Saskia Hockly, Toni Gumede (Brand South Africa), Braam Wessels (Telkom SA), Kgothatso Montjane, Jessica du Plessis (representing the Golden Fireballs Netball team), Michaela Whitebooi, Hanalie van Niekerk (on behalf of her daughter, Lara van Niekerk), Newsmaker of the Year Marizanne Kapp, Lydia Monyepao (SAFA COO on behalf of Banyana Banyana), Desiree Ellis (Head Coach of Banyana Banyana), Nhlanhla Mthandi and Thembelihle Masibi (representing Mamelodi Sundowns), Caitlin Rooskrantz and Charlotte Nsubuga-Mukasa (Head of Brand Marketing: Momentum) at Workshop17 in Rosebank on Wednesday, 7 December 2022. Photo: (c) gsport 2022 / Nokuthula Mbatha
(0 rating, 0 votes, rated)
Loading...
