Kudus sweeps top SWAG awards

 Black Stars and West Ham United stalwart, Moham­med Kudus, swept the flagship Sports Personality and Footballer of the Year awards at the 48th edition of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) awards held at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).

He won against athletics star, James Dadzie, for the Sports Personality category and Ernest Nuamah, Joseph Paintsil and Os­man Bukari for the Footballer of the Year gong on a night that saw the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, in attendance as Special Guest.

Kudus has been on the spot­light in recent times as star boy of the Black Stars and has endeared himself to West Ham fans after cementing a place on the first team.

Joy FM’s Gary Al Smith was adjudged the Sports Journalist of the Year, an award sponsored by the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, together with the female footballer of the year award.

Friday’s event, which had new­comers, Nguvu Mining, as headline sponsors, attracted high profile personalities in sports as well as athletes that distinguished them­selves in the year 2023.

The Footballer of the Year (home based) was presented to Jonathan Sowah of Medeama SC whose coach, Augustine Evans Ad­otey, was adjudged the best for the year and Medeama crowning their impressive season with the Club of the Year award.

Princella Adubea was adjudged the Female Footballer of the Year (Foreign based) with Comfort Ye­boah snatching the version for the home based female footballer.

James Dadzie and Rose Yeboah Amoanimaa were adjudged the male and female Athletes of the Year respectively; the Black Chal­lenge, the national amputee team, was declared the best national team; the SWAG Para-Athlete of the Year going to Haruna Tahiru; SWAG Swimmer of the Year to Zaira Forson; SWAG Hockey Play­er of the Year – Charles Abbiw; SWAG Tennis Player of the Year – Abraham Asaba and SWAG Table Tennis Player of the Year to Felix Lartey.

The SWAG President’s Award was presented to Dr Kwame Kyei and Yaw Ampofo Ankrah with the innovative SWAG Long Service Awards going to Rosalind Koramah Amoh, Maurice Quan­sah, Barima Otuo Acheampong, George Kuntu Blankson and Sam­my Heywood Okine.

The SWAG Dedication and Valour awards went to Rev. Em­manuel Nikoi, Agartha Hagan, Joseph Addo and Kudjoe Fian­oo with the SWAG Meritorious Awards going to Herbert Mensah, Samson Deen, Moses Armah Park­er and Nana Fosu Gyeabour.

Other award winners includes SWAG Administrator of the Year – Mawuko Afadzinu; SWAG Coach of the Year – Augustine Evans Adotey and SWAG Club of the Year – Medeama SC.

Ghana Athletics (GA), Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), Ghana Tennis Federation (GTF), Ghana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) and the Ghana Football Associa­tion (GFA) were adjudged SWAG Top 5 Federations while SWAG Lifetime Achievement Award went to Capt Andy Sam (rtd) and S.K Hlordze.

The Corporate Awards were presented to Malta Guinness, SES HD Plus Ghana Limited and the headline sponsors, Nguvu Mining Limited.

Evelyn Dzato received the SWAG Discovery of the Year award with Joanita Borteye and Sisu Tormegah as the SWAG Pros­pect of the Year.

SWAG also conferred special awards on Stephen Richard Obeng, Osei Boakye Yiadom, Ebenezer Frimpong, Nana Adarkwah, GRA Royal Ladies, Teqball Team, Fencing Junior Kadet, and baseball youth team.

 BY ANDREW NORTEY

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