Some of Barbados’ top personalities in sports received rewards for their achievements in 2018 at the National Sports Council’s Awards Ceremony on Saturday at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex. And top of the list were hurdler Shane Brathwaite and Chelsea Tuach who were named male and female Sports Personalities of the Year.
Male Sports Personality of the Year – Shane Brathwaite
Brathwaite got the nod ahead of West Indies teammates Jason Holder and Shai Hope. Brathwaite brought honour to country and self when he got the top podium position at the Central American and Caribbean Games in July. Brathwaite was outstanding in the 110m hurdles and the 4 x 100m relay. He also medalled at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships in Canada the following month with bronze in the 110m hurdles and silver in the relay.
Top surfer Tuach who has previously won this award had another terrific year on the surf. In March she became the Caribbean women’s champion while competing in Martinique. Tuach who has a global ranking of 19th is also ranked second on the World Surfing League. Tuach who has competed in the Caribbean, North America and Europe, also made quite a name for herself on the Asian surfing circuit when she won a major event in Indonesian waters during the year. Both the male and female sports personality awards were collected by relatives of Brathwaite and Tuach who are both overseas
Female Sports Personality of 2018 – Chelsea Tuach
Several other accolades were dished out, including the Minister’s Award which went to the West Indies captain Holder. Football administrator Randy Harris won the Alvin Burgess Award and the martial arts award named after the late Wesley Worrell went to Shawn Sealy. Former West Indies batsman and one of the pillars of the sports programme at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Floyd Reifer won the Coach of the Year award.
CONCACAF vice-president and president of the Barbados Football Association Randy Harris (right) receiving the Alvin Burgess Award from Andre Burgess.
Long-time sportswoman, administrator, and an inspiration to generations of young sportsmen and women, Kathy Harper-Hall, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her sterling service. She has been an integral personality in several sports including netball, athletics and boxing.
The island’s leading sports journalist Morissa Lindsay of Barbados TODAY for the second consecutive year won the Sports Journalist of the Year Award. Lindsay covered athletics, martial arts, lawn tennis, football, volleyball, basketball, netball, and a number of other sports at the junior and senior level during the year providing written, pictorial and video coverage of several of these events.
Board member of the National Sports Council Franklyn Gill presented winning sports journalist Morissa Lindsay with her award.
Among the other special trophies won were the primary and secondary schools sports awards which went to Bayley’s Primary and Foundation. Foundation, in particular, had great success in 2018 in multiple sporting disciplines.
