ACE Zimbabwe and Manchester City striker Benjani Mwaruwaru is in the running for the unbranded 2007 Annual National Sports Awards (ANSA) Sportsperson of the Year award whose winners will be announced on February 29 in Harare.

Benjani Mwaruwaru Running For Sportsperson of the Year

Also eyeing the country’s prestigious award is former winner Kristy Coventry who was nominated for the Sportswomen of the Year Award together with fellow swimmer Heather Brand.

Track athlete Sandra Chimwanza and Samukeliso Moyo alongside the 2006 Sportsperson of the Year, Cara Black have also been shortlisted.

Coventry had a good season that saw her winning silver medals in the 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley at the 12th FINA championships held in Melbourne, Australia in April last year.

Rugby coaches Liam Middleton and Godwin Murambiwa will have to battle it out with Under-17 and Under-18 soccer coach Rodwell Dhlakama and Kerrie Mackie (rowing) for the Coach of the Year Award.

Middleton had a great year that saw his Sevens team winning the Confederation of Africa Castle Sevens tournament and the Shield trophy in Dubai while Murambiwa led the national rugby Under-19 team to the World Cup in Belfast where they finished a credible seventh.

Dhlakama coached the Under 18 team to a gold medal at the Under-18 Zone Six Games in Lesotho and the helped the Under 17 side to win the COSAFA SADC tournament in Namibia in December last year.

Middleton Charges, the Zimbabwe sevens team were nominated for the Team of the Year category where they will battle it out with the rowing team that represented Zimbabwe at the All Africa Games in Algeria.

Tennis prodigy Takanyi Garanganga, a member of the Zimbabwe Davis Cup team is in the running for the Junior Sportsman of the Year.

He, however, will have to be content with the Colahan brothers Ryan and Lain who are rowers, Archford Gutu, who is an integral member of the Zimbabwe Under 20 soccer and US-based sprinter Gabriel Mumvure.

Golf sensation Rumbi Masamvu is tipped to win the junior sportswomen of the year.

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