By Norman Katende

Athlete of the year award

Winner: Annet Negesa (sh1.5m)

1st Runner Up: Moses Kipsiro (sh0.75m)

2nd runner up: Thomas Ayeko (sh0.75m)

Upcoming Female: Halimah Nakaayi (sh0.5m)

Upcoming male: Zachariah Kiprotich (sh0.5m)

MIDDLE distance runner Annet Negesa is the 2011 athlete of the year.

The 20 year old ended Kipsiro’s four year dominance when she picked the top honours at the awards night at Serena Hotel on Saturday evening.

Although none of the athletes won medals at the World Cross Country in Punta Umbria and World Championships in Daegu, Korea, the technical committee found Negesa’s performance through out the year more deserving.

Both won gold medals at the All Africa Games, Kipsiro (5000m) and Negesa (800m), but Negesa edged Kipsiro with her performance in Botswana, where she won 800m and 1500m races in the Africa junior championships.

“It is great award and an inspiration to me to even train harder,” said Negesa who lashed out at her critics including Uganda Athletics Federation executive for saying that she had no coach.

“I have a coach in Raphael Kassaija and he has been training me well,” she said after winning the title.

Negesa and one of the organisers unveil a home theatre that came with her cash at the UAF Awards Night

On top of winning the sh1.5m and a home theatre courtesy of MTN, Negesa also won an extra sh1m each from UOC president Rogers Ddungu and state sports minister Charles Bakkabulindi, which was given to her in cash.

“That is encouragement for her and a motivation to others that when you perform better, you will win big,” said Bakkabulindi after the offer.