Athlete Zakhiti Nene, centre, was named KZN sports personality of the year. He is pictured her with various officials from the KwaZulu Natal Department of Sports, Art and Recreation.
South African sprinter Zakithi Nene was named KZN sports personality of the year on Saturday, with 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok Grant Williams finishing as the runner-up.
The event, hosted by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture, took place at the Durban International Convention Centre.
The other nominees in the category were Dolphins cricketer Nonkululeko Mlaba, Pietermaritzburg swimmer Matthew Sates, and wheelchair basketball star Samkelisiwe Mbatha.
Nene, a 25-year-old athlete based in Durban and originally from Ladysmith, expressed his gratitude for the support he received from his friends, family, and the running community. He was visibly moved by the recognition and the realisation that many people look up to him. He expressed his desire to continue inspiring others and commended the KZN Sports Department for its efforts in recognising athletes in the province.
In recent years, Nene has made significant strides in the international athletics arena. In 2023, he had an impressive season, achieving podium finishes in France and the Czech Republic, and ultimately winning gold in a Diamond League meeting in Sweden in July.
Despite some early-season injuries, Nene managed to salvage his year and secure a place in the Diamond League. Looking ahead, he eagerly anticipates the Olympics and is already qualified. He is now waiting to see his name on the team roster. He also believes that the future of athletics in the country is promising, with the potential for medals, especially in relay events.
Nene emphasised that despite his success, he remains an ordinary person in his community, continues to live with his mother in Ladysmith and is proud of his roots.
The KZN Sports Personality of the Year award was the only category in which the public had a say in the voting process. In addition to Nene's award, posthumous honours were given to soccer coach Clive Barker and boxer Simiso Buthelezi, both of whom passed away earlier this year.
Barker made a significant impact on South African football by leading the national team, Bafana Bafana, to their only Africa Cup of Nations title in 1996 and qualifying them for their first-ever World Cup in 1998.
Buthelezi's story was marked by tragedy, as he passed away due to injuries sustained in the boxing ring, just two weeks after graduating in 2022 with a BSc degree in botany and zoology from the University of Zululand.