Paulus Ambunda and Gaby Ahrens were named as Namibia’s Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year at a glittering function at the Safari Court in Windhoek on Friday night.
Ambunda capped a great year by winning the WBO African bantamweight title and being ranked fourth in the world by the World Boxing Organisation. He remained unbeaten in four fights to take his professional record to 13 wins from 13 fights.
He said he was very proud of winning the title, adding that it would inspire him to win the world title.
“I feel very proud of myself because I did not expect it. I won the Most Improved Sportsperson of the Year in 2006 when I was still an amateur, and to win this award now as well makes me very proud. This will motivate and encourage me to become a world champion,” he said.
Ambunda, who is currently preparing for his next title defence on November 25, said he had a great year.
“This was my year, but I worked hard for it. I am now aiming very high because I want to become Namibia’s next world champion. I will defend my title against a Zimbabwean fighter in November - I have been training hard and I have no doubt that I will win the fight,” he said.
Ambunda beat cyclist Dan Craven, rugby player Jacques Burger, bowls player Graham Snyman and gymnast Robert Honiball to the award.
Gaby Ahrens won the Sportswoman of the year award after a year in which she established herself as the top female shooter in Africa. She won a gold medal at the Africa States Competition in South Africa, while she also claimed gold at the African Shooting Grand Prix in Windhoek.
Ahrens said it was a very special moment for her, as she had managed to emulate her father, Hasso Ahrens, who won the Sportsman of the Year award in 1975 as a soccer player.
“This award is very important to me because my father won it 35 years ago and I really wanted to follow in his footsteps,” she said.
Ahrens, who won a bronze medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, said it she did not expect to win the award, especially after it was announced that the Commonwealth Games would not be considered, since it took place after the deadline in September 2010.
This is a big honour and a big surprise, because I did not expect to win, especially after the Commonwealth Games announcement. But I am very proud and I will obviously want to keep this title so I will fight for it and try and achieve even bigger heights in the next few years,” she said.
Ahrens beat bowls player Diana Viljoen, disabled athlete Johanna Benson, gymnast Kimberly Ann van Zyl and marathon athlete Beata Naigambo to the award.
Wrestler Jason Afrikaner won the Junior Sportsman of the Year award after winning a bronze medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, while swimmer Christine Briedenhann won the Junior Sportswoman of the Year award. The 14-year-old Briedenhann competed at the Senior African Swimming Championships where she reached two finals, breaking one Namibian Open record and five age group records along the way.
Endurance rider Collen Tjanda won the Most Improved Sportsperson of the Year award after winning the senior title at the African Championships in Walvis Bay.
Namibia’s national rugby team won the Team of the Year award after winning the IRB Nations trophy and qualifying for the Rugby World Cup, while their coach Johan Diergaardt won the Coach of the Year award.
The other winners at the MTC Sport Awards were:
Disabled Sportsman of the Year: Martin Alosius
Disabled Sportswoman of the Year: Johanna Benson
Administrator of the Year: Rainhold Shikongo
Development Programme of the Year: NFA - Galz & Goals.