Brathwaite wins Sports Personality of the Year

Hurdler Shane Brathwaite had an outstanding 2018 track and field season and his performances earned him the honour of being awarded the National Sports Personality of the Year at the prestigious National Sports Council Awards ceremony Saturday evening.

The event which culminated the 2018 sporting season saw the best Barbados has produced converge at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex. Not only did Shane Brathwaite cop the Sports Personality of the Year but he also captured the 2018 National Sports Council male Senior Outstanding Sportsperson award. The national hurdler ran to victory in the 110m Hurdles at the National Championships and then went on to claim gold in the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games.

The female Senior Oustanding Sportsperson award went to sufing phenom Chelsea Tuach. With the waves as her tool, Tuach became the first Caribbean Women’s Champion in March at the Martinique Surf Pro and ranks second in the World Surf League women’s rankings while residing in 19th on the international stage. She also was the first Caribbean surfer to win an Asian Pro surfing circuit event when she was crowned women’s champion at the Kuta Beach in Indonesia.

Young Zane Maloney drove away with the male Junior Outstanding Sportsperson of the Year. The local karting star has been bringing great results on the international and local karting scene. With wins in Italy and the United States and an overwhelming championship win at the 2018 World Karting Association Manufacturing Cup Series, Maloney has done the island proud. The 2018 National Sports Council female Junior Outstanding Sportsperson of Year went to squash queen Meagan Best. Winning national and regional squash titles in 2018, Best was the individual plate winner at the Commonwealth Games in Austrailia also became the first Barbadian and Caribbean player to win gold at the US Junior Open.

West Indies Test and One Day Internationals captain Jason Holder was the choice of Minister of Creative Economy, Culture and Sports, John King for the Minister’s Award. Holder who has been the back bone of the West Indies team’s success in recent times took 33 wickets in 6 Tests at an average of 12.39 runs per wicket and totalled 336 runs at an average of 37.33 with 2 half centuries. The current #1 all-rounder in the world was the first bowler since Courtney Walsh to take four 5 wicket hauls in a calendar year.

Coach of the Year went to Floyd Reiter for his fantastic role as coach of the Sagicor University of the West Indies Blackbirds. The cricket team went all the way to the top of the Barbados Cricket Association Super 50 and Elite division Cups. He was also at the helm of the Combined Campuses and Colleges first ever successful run to victory in the Regional Super 50 competition. Internationally he coached the West Indies T20 squad to a win against Bangladesh in November.

Head of the Barbados Football Association and the Caribbean Football Union Randy Harris captured the Alvin Burgess Award for his acheivements. Elected in 2018 as a Vice-president of CONCACAF, Harris has represented Barados well in the region. The Barbados 4x100m Relay team was awarded the Team Award for their gold medal run at the CAC Games. Visually impaired Martial Artist Shawn Leslie was honored with the Wesley Worrell trophy for the work put into his craft. Rebecca Williams (Wrestling), Omari Sealy (Swimming), Nathan King (Badminton) and Vanessa Greendige (Chess) all captured youth awards on the night.

One of the most memorable presentations of the night was to long time darling of sport Kathy Harper-Hall. The hard working administrator was honored for all she had done for done for sports in Barbados and presented with the Lifetime Acheivement award. Morissa Lindsay of Barbados Today won the National Sports Council Media Award as the association recognised the media’s effort and hardwork in showcasing sports in 2018. Victor Franklyn won the Groundsman of the Year while Bayleys Primary and the Christ Church Foundation School walked away with the primary and secondary school awards respectively. (AS)