Johannesburg – To honour the sportsmen within the business of sport, Pitso Mosimane and Tatjana Schoenmaker were amongst top profiles recognised with special awards.
The annual held, Hollard Sport Industry Awards took centre-stage virtually on Thursday, where sports agencies, teams and sportsmen were awarded for their resilient work this year in all walks of sports industry.
“This year we celebrate the brand owners, the agencies and the media owners who have inspired us, said Heidi Brauer, Hollard’s Chief Marketing Officer..
She further added: “They entertained us and keep us healthy at a time when we needed it more than ever. We’ve seen so much wonderful inventiveness in entries this year.”
“Heartfelt congratulations to the deserving winners, and to each and every person who has played a part in keeping sports, brands, and campaigns alive and entertaining during this really strange and difficult time,” she said.
The award hosts, presented four special awards, voted on by peers within the sporting industry within South Africa.
Congratulations to the winners of the Virtual Event of the Year Award! #HolardSIA2021 pic.twitter.com/Uds4JV3Rvc
— SportIndustryGroupSA (@SportIndustrySA) November 25, 2021
The ESPN Leadership in Sport Business Award went to Pitso ‘Jingles’ Mosimane, one of the longest serving and most decorated coaches in all of South African football.
As head coach of Al Ahly in Egypt, Pitso has continued his success, being named as Best Manager in Africa earlier this year.
With her emotional win in Tokyo taking the gold medal and setting a new world record in the 200-metres breaststroke, Tatjana Schoenmaker scooped a special award.
Rated as Africa’s breaststroke queen, Schoenmaker was awarded with the Sport Industry Personality of the Year.
The Sport Lifetime Community Award was presented to former South African opening batsman, Gary Kirsten, for his work in uplifting cricket within the corners of the country.
World boxing’s remarkable referee and judge, Stan Christodoulou, was presented the Sport Lifetime Achievement Award, for his immense contribution to South African boxing.
Two new categories were included this year, Active and Wellbeing Award, sponsored by C2, going to Spar for the Spar Virtual Women’s Challenge, which also won the Fan Engagement Award.
Young Agency of The Year went to Matchstick Creative, a virtual creative agency comprising work-from-home freelancers established during the peak of the COVID 19 pandemic.
Matchstick Creative, with a full-time staff compliment of 1, has gone from zero to hero in a matter of 12 months, establishing firm clients, ongoing projects and some phenomenal storytelling and production.
“This is our third year sponsoring these awards and celebrating the energy, enthusiasm and creativity of the business of sport,” said Brauer.
“These awards are about so much more than the sports themselves or the sporting codes,” she added.
Hollard Sport Industry Awards all 2021 winners:
- Active And Wellbeing Award, sponsored by C2 – Spar for Spar Virtual Women’s Challenge
- Audiovisual Content of The Year (Long Form) – Walt Disney for ESPN Africa/Walt Disney Company Africa & 10th Street Media
- Audiovisual Content of The Year (Short Form) – T&W for Luckhanyo Am
- Brand or Sponsor of The Year, sponsored by Hollard – Princess Sports for Brabo Hockey
- Campaign of the Year, sponsored by Ab Inbev – Mcsports for Castle Lager #InOurBlood
- Communications Award of The Year: Levergy – Nedbank Breaking Barriers Race
- Cross Border Award, sponsored by Supersport – Basketball Africa League
- Event or Competition Sponsorship Award, sponsored by Worldwide Sports – Mscsports for Castle #InOurBlood
- Fan Engagement Award – Spar for Spar Women’s Challenge
- Social And Environmental Impact Award – Team Qhubeka
- Virtual Event of The Year Award – Levergy for Nedbank Runified Breaking Barriers
- Agency of the Year Award, sponsored by Gallo Images, Mscsports
- Young Agency of The Year – Matchstick Creative
Special Awards
- Leadership In Sport Business Award, sponsored by ESPN – Pitso Mosimane
- Sport Industry Personality of The Year – Tatjana Schoenmaker
- Sport Lifetime Community Award – Gary Kirsten
- Sport Lifetime Achievement Award – Stan Christodoulou
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