Sports Journalists Choice Awards return

The annual Sports Journalists Choice Awards that focuses on rewarding excellence is now open for entries following their launch at Route 256 in Lugogo on Tuesday.

Journalists will this year enter their work in ten different categories, up from five that were awarded last year. Entries are open from November 1 to November 30 through an online portal that will be provided by the organisers.

Now in its second year, the awards acknowledge and recognize the work of sports journalists across print, digital, television and radio mediums as well as photography in the country.

The categories this year include; Breakthrough Journalist of the Year, Sports Social Media Journalist of the Year, Young Sports Journalist of the Year, Regional Sports Journalist of the Year and Sports Website of the Year.

The other categories include Sports Scoop of the Year, Sports Photograph of the Year, Sports Feature of the Year (TV, Radio, Print and Online), Sports News Report -Broadcast (Radio and TV) as well as Sports Journalist of the Year.

Addressing reporters during the launch Leon Ssenyange the brains behind the awards said even stories written or reported about in local languages can also be for the awards.

"We want these awards to be the envy of ever journalist here and they can only grow. We are talking to a few partners that we shall unveil in new due course and are looking forward to receiving the various entries," Ssenyange said.

"They are encouraging partners and one is looking to add financial rewards to each category so we are hopeful of another successful round of the SJCA," Ssenyange stated entered.

He said the judging process will be carried out by experienced media practioners from within and outside the country.

Some of the winners and nominees in the first edition of the awards that included David Isabirye, Grace Mbabazi, Darren Kyeyune and Elvis Ssenono said the first awards inspired them into doing more in the fields that they were nominated in.

David Isabirye (Exceptional Works by an Individual), Elvis Ssenono (Breakthrough award), Diane Bagala (Most promising), Darren Kyeyune (Sports Social Media Journalist) and Silvano Kibuuka (Sports Photograph of the Year) were last year's awardees.