Cheptegei tops nominees for 2019 Nile Special USPA Awards

2019 NILE SPECIAL USPA SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS

World 10000m champion Joshua Cheptegei could be on his way to winning back to back Nile Special USPA Sportsman of the Year accolades after he was also nominated for the 2019 award.

The reigning World Cross Country champion, who also set a personal best time when he won the men's 5,000m during the IAAF Diamond League in Switzerland last year among other achievements, will contest for the top award with Halimah Nakaayi who also won a gold medal in the women's 800m final at the world championship in Doha.

Cranes striker Emmanuel Okwi is also in the fray for the top award.

Emmanuel Okwi

During their monthly sitting at the Imperial Royale Hotel on Monday, members of the Uganda Sports Press Association voted different outstanding sportsmen from 2019 for the different sports disciplines.

The Uganda national U-17 football team that won the COSAFA U-17 championship, the Cricket Cranes that stood out at the Cricket World Cup Challenge League in Oman, Proline Fc that won both the Big League and the Uganda Cup and the Uganda Cross Country athletics team that won gold in Denmark will battle for the team of the year award.

There will also be awards for the best-organised sports event on top of the individual awards and the Legendary Award that is a preserve of the executive of USPA.

The Cricket Cranes were, on the other hand, voted as December's best for winning the first phase of World Cricket League unbeaten. They contested for the award with the U17 Girls football team that won the CECAFA U-17 tournament and Ndejje University who were the overall winners of the 2019 Inter-University games in Kisubi.

Netballer Stella Oyella

The winners will be crowned at a gala on dates that will be announced in the near future.

Pool, Cycling and Table Tennis were left out because of disorganization in their associations and for lack of calendar events in 2019.

The winners:

Athletics

Male: Joshua Cheptegei

Female: Halima Nakaayi

Football

Male: Emmanuel Okwi

Female: Juliet Nalukenge

Rugby

Male: Pius Ogena

Female: Samiya Ayikoru

Volleyball

Male: Daudi Okello

Female: Grace Akiror

Netball

Stella Oyella

Motocross

Gift Ssebuguzi

Motorally crew

Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba

Boxing

David Ssemujju

Cricket

Male: Shazad Kamal

Female: Janet Mbabazi

Tennis

Troy Zziwa

Swimming

Male: Tendo Mukalazi

Female: Kirabo Namutebi

Squash

Ian Rukunya

Chess

Male: Harold Wanyama

Female: Maria Nakanyike

Golf

Male: Joseph Cwinya-ai

Female: Martha Babirye

Basketball

Male: James Okello

Female: Hope Akello

Ludo -

Tom Kasozi

Body Builder

Isaac Mubikirwa

Kickboxing

Patricia Apolot

Darts

Male: Patrick Ochieng

Female: Sarah Makanga

Woodball

Male: Brian Gwaaka

Female: Denise Nanjeru

Weightlifting

Zubair Kubo

Handball

Male: Ibrahim Kongo

Female: Lillian Achola

Badminton

Male: Daniel Muhigo

Female: Aisha Nakiyemba