Football athletes had a night to remember during the 2023 Malawi Sport Awards held at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe on Friday.
Out of the 16 awards, eight awards namely National Team of the Year, Sports Personality of the Year, Coach of the Year, Junior Female Sports Person of the Year, Sports Woman of the Year, Non-Citizen, Best Referee and Sports Association went to football.
However, Malawi Women’s National Football Team striker Temwa Chawinga was the biggest winner after scooping two accolades.
The United States of America based striker was voted the Sports Personality of the Year after her impressive performance for both club and country in which she scored 63 goals as she finished as the overall top goal-scorer in the world.
Temwa also won the Sports Woman of the Year after beating her elder sister Tabitha Chawinga of Paris Saint-Germain in France.
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She received the awards in absentia. In her video clip, the talented forward said she was excited with the recognition.
“I did not expect to win. I am really humbled,” Temwa said.
Last year, Temwa won three golden boot awards in China and also at the Cosafa Women’s Championship having scored nine goals.
Scorchers was named National Team of the Year after winning their first ever Cosafa Championship whereas Lovemore Fazili was named the Coach of the Year.
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The Non-Citizen award went to FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Coach Kalisto Pasuwa, who won an unprecedented quadruple last season.
Football Association of Malawi (Fam) was named the best Sports Association through the exploits of the Scorchers.
Female referee Enes Gumbo was named the Best Referee whereas Malawi Schools Under-15 girls captain Victoria Mkwala was voted as the best Junior Female of the Year.
Para Sport was the second biggest winner during the event. Malawi Paralympic Committee (MPC) President James Chiutsi was voted the Sports Administrator of the Year whereas Para-Sport against stigma was the Best Executed Sports Programme.
Hanna Winesi and Mphatso Saukire won Sports Woman and Man with disabilities respectively.
The Best Sports District of the Year was Karonga.
Yamikani Guba and Luke Chimwemwe Smit won the Sports Man of the Year and Junior Sports Person award respectively.
Mibawa Television was voted the Best Sports Media House of the Year.
The awards were spiced by live music performance from Lawi.
