Fortebet Real Stars Awards (August 2021 Winners):
- Football: Muzamiru Mutyaba (Express Football Club)
- Athletics: Joshua Cheptegei (Long distance runner)
- Basketball: Ishmail Wainwright (Uganda Basketball National Team)
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Peruth Chemutai (Long distance runner)
Different sportsmen across the divide have been rewarded with the plaques for the month of August 2021 at the Route 256 Restaurant in Lugogo, Kampala on Tuesday, September 7, 2021.
Express Football Club midfielder Muzamiru Mutyaba, athletics star Joshua Cheptegei and basketballer Ishmail Wainwright were decorated with the awards of excellence.
For being the first Ugandan female to win a medal at the Olympics gold, Peruth Chemutai was also crowned with the life time achievement award.
Football:
Mutyaba beat fellow Express club-mates Martin Kizza and goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa to the award.
The midfielder was in fine form, scoring three goals as Express won the 2019 CECAFA Kagame Cup at the Benjamin Mpaka National Stadium in Dar es salaam city.
The three nominated players also made the grade to the national senior football team (Uganda Cranes) that played in an international build up match (against Ethiopia) as well as in the FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Kenya and Mali.
Mutyaba’s award was received on his behalf by the club communications manager Peter Tabu.
“Muzamiru Mutyaba and the rest of Express Football Club traveled to Dar es Salaam determined to succeed against all the odds. His best game was the one against KMKM from Zanzibar” Tabu spoke after receiving Mutyaba’s plaque.
Athletics:
Joshua Cheptegei, winner of two medals (gold and silver) at the 2020 Olympic Games in Toyko, Japan was the pick in athletics.
Cheptegei won gold in the 5000m and silver in the 10,000m races.
His performance was considered over Peruth Chemutai (gold medalist in the 3000m steeplechase race at the Olympics) and para athlete David Emong.
Emong scooped bronze at the recently concluded Para-Olympics during the 1500m T16 race.
Cheptegei’s plaque was recieved by Dominic Outchet, the president of Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF).
Basketball:
Uganda Silver backs power forward Ishmail Wainwright won the award in basketball ahead of forwards Deng Geu and Juma Seiko.
The trio inspired team Uganda to the semi-finals at the 2021 Afro Basketball championships.
Uganda lost 79-71 to Cape Verde at the quarter final stage.
Meanwhile, Peruth Chemutai won the life-time achievement award for having been the first Ugandan female to win any medal at the Olympic Games.
Chemutai won the women’s 3000m steeplechase run at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the women’s 3000 metres steeplechase race.
Her accolade was received by fellow athlete Merceline Chelengat.
Isaac Mukasa, the Executive Director of Real Stars Sports Agency handed over the plaques in an event also graced by the Fortebet Brand Ambassador Alex Muhangi, athlete Mercline Chelengat and Dominic Outchet, the president of Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF).
“The spirit of rewarding the outstanding sportsmen and women in a given month moves on as we have always done. We give thanks to the different sports personalities, federations (associations), our sponsors and the media. The four awards given for the best in August 2021 exactly show the reasons why we front this gesture” Mukasa disclosed.
These awards are sponsored by Jude Colour Solutions, ForteBet and Cannan Bulls.
The next series of awards will be held at the start of October 2021 to award the best in September.