The contest to be crowned Nile Special USPA Sports Personality of the Year has never been so close after a somewhat glittering year for Ugandan sport.
Three contenders will be in with a chance to take home the gong after being nominated by USPA members at their monthly sitting held at Lugogo Tennis Club on Monday 6.
Uganda Christian University (UCU) Basket baller and She Cranes player Peace Proscovia, Stephen Kiprotich and rally ace Jas Mangat are the three personalities to vie for the award whose winner will be announced on the yet to be communicated night in April.
Peace Proscovia earned a place on the list for his gallant performances for UCU in the recently concluded 2013 Airtel National Basket Ball league which her side won plus her contribution in the She Cranes triumph in Six Nations International Netball tournament in Singapore where she top scored.
Besides, Proscovia was part of the UCU Handball and Shot Put team that did well in the 2013 National University Games held at UCU, Mukono.
As for Stephen Kiprotich, he won the World Athletics Championship in Russia and became the first Ugandan to win gold medals in both Olympics and World Championship in marathon.
Rally ace Jas Mangat was nominated for his feat of defending the National Rally Championship (NRC) despite the Africa Rally Championship (ARC) eluding him on the final day of the calendar.
Meanwhile, the three nominees already bagged annual gongs in their respective disciplines with Peace Proscovia voted in two disciplines; Female Basket ball player of the year and Netball of the Year, Jas Mangat (Motorsport personality of the year) and Stephen Kiprotich (Athlete of the Year).
City Oilers, winner of their first National Basketball league title on their debut, She Cranes , MTN Heathens, Nemostars, Cricket’s National Ladies U-19 team and Uganda Cranes (Chan team) will compete for the team of the year award.
Other winners include Dan Sserunkuma (football), Joseph Lubega (Boxing), Motor Cross (Fortune Ssentamu), Chess – Elijah Emojong (Male) & Sharon Twongyeire (Female), Arthur Kyobe (Cricket), Badminton – Herbert Ebayo (Male) & Shamim Bangi (Female), Table Tennis – Kevin Mafabi (Male) & Aminah Lutaaya (Female), Weight Lifting – Semei Kasumba (Male) & Becky Namusoke (Female), Volley Ball – George Aporu (Male) & Moreen Mwamula (Female), Pool Table – Fahad Ssewankambo (Male) & Ritah Ninsiima (Female), Kickboxing – Moses Golola, Rugby – Micheal Wokorach (Male) & Brenda Kayiyi (Female), Wood ball – Joel Odupa, Handball – Ibrahim Kongo (Male) & Harriet Abako (Female), Darts – Mathias Okwi (Male) & Dina Omonding (Female), Golf – Willy Kitata (Male) & Flavia Namakula (Female), Swimming – Kirabo Namutebi, Body Building – Ivan Byekwaso, Football – Daniel Sserunkuma, Tennis – Duncan Mugabe and Squash – Mike Kawooya.
