The two-time Grand Slam
wheelchair tennis champion Lucas Sithole added to his accolades the Regional
Annual Sports Awards (RASA)’s Sportsman of the year with a disability on
Saturday. The awards which celebrated the African excellence and comprised
of 10 African states were announced last night at Birchwood Estate in
Ekurhuleni.
The Kwazulu-Natal star who holds 32 singles titles came out ahead of
Namibia’s newest star and Special Olympics Games gold medalist Ruben Gowaseb
and athletics T12 star Lucky Chitembe from Zimbabwe.
Sithole recorded his first grand slam title after winning the wheelchair
quad singles title at the US Open tennis tournament in 2013, becoming the
first man from Africa to win a singles US Open title of any kind. The world
number three continued to shine when he was crowned quad wheelchair doubles
champion with American David Wagner at the Australian Open in Melbourne
early this year.
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The 29-year-old said he was very happy to be recognized at this major awards
for his outstanding performances in the sport at regional and international
level. “I am really honoured for taking my first RASA award and will
continue to be humble and work hard,” said Sithole.
Free to use picture;
Sithole35a.jpg – Wheelchair tennis ace Lucas Sithole named Sportsman of the
year with a disability at the Regional Annual Sports Awards on Saturday
night at Birchwood Estate in Ekurhuleni.
Picture credit: Reg Caldecott
Wheelchair Tennis South Africa and Airports Company South Africa
Partnership:
The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is the official sponsor of
Wheelchair Tennis South Africa and the sport of wheelchair tennis. Airports
Company South Africa has contributed no less than R36-million to date and
has committed to a continued investment in the sport as its flagship
Corporate Social Investment programme.
