Fifth time’s the charm for Paralympian Du Preez after SA Sports Award win
The quadriplegic has been nominated five times for the Sportsman of the Year with a Disability award and this is the first time he gets to take it home.
FILE: Pieter du Preez competing at the 2021 Para-Cycling Road World Championships in Cascais, Portugal. Picture: Olga Dyżakowska/ Facebook
JOHANNESBURG – Paralympian Pieter “Supa Piet” du Preez was was named Sportsman of the Year with a Disability at the South African Sports Awards.
Du Preez won the gold medal in the men’s H1 cycling time trial at the Tokyo Paralympic Games last year. The quadriplegic has been nominated five times for the award and this is the first time he gets to take it home.
Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability went to Anruné Liebenberg-Weyers, who won gold in the women’s 400m (T47) at the Paralympics while shot put and discus thrower, 18-year-old Miné de Klerk, was named Newcomer of the Year.
Sportsman of the Year with a Disability
Pieter du Preez (para-cycling)#SASportAwards #IzinjaZeGame #RecognitionOfExcellence pic.twitter.com/Kk0Ypptk9uTeam South Africa (@TeamSA2024) March 12, 2022
The awards were held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban on Saturday but unfortunately, Supa Piet could not be there in person. He told Eyewitness News that he was humbled to have received such an accolade.
“Being the fifth time I’m nominated I think they just could not ignore me anymore… Jokes aside, I’ve been incredibly consistent over the 14 global championship medals I’ve won in two sports over the years, which includes six gold, of which two were last year,” Du Preez told Eyewitness News.
Thanks so much @TeamSA2024 for this huge honour, such a disappointment to not be there due to suspended flights! Thanks @NathiMthethwaSA @SportArtsCultur for celebrating amazing sporting achievements, showing South Africa CAN!! https://t.co/1c1NnjSPyC
Pieter du Preez (@supapiet) March 13, 2022
“And when it takes so long for you to receive such an incredibly honorable accolade, I think it’s even more special. Nevertheless, I’m incredibly humbled to receive this among so many great sporting achievements by others and it’s really a huge honour,” he said.
The actuarial analyst at Deloitte South Africa said that it took an entire team to get him where he was as an athlete and he’s especially grateful to his wife and son for everything that they did to help him keep winning.
“Obviously, a big part of this goes to those who’ve been on the journey with me. It would have been impossible without them and then of course a huge thank you to Minister Nathi Mthethwa and his team at the Department of Sports, as well as Sascoc for hosting the awards and celebrating the amazing South African athletes we have! Of course, it’s also great for me to show other people with disabilities and especially quadriplegics who have so little function like I do that you can achieve greatness if you go out and live it the best you can,” Du Preez said.
READ: Paralympic gold medallist Pieter du Preez wins 5th Oita marathon title
“When a bad thing happens it’s an opportunity to be great, but it starts within yourself. You don’t need to be a superhero to inspire, you can be a normal person with a smile,” said Supa Piet to Eyewitness News.
READ MORE: SAs du Preez bags cycling time trial gold at Paralympics
The award-winning athlete took part in the Para-cycling National Championships earlier this year where he retained his national champion title. With his eyesight deteriorating du Preez dreams of Paris 2024.
“Yes, it was a great national championship in Graskop showing some good performances already. Definitely, the end goal is to go to Paris 2024 if my eyesight, which is deteriorating, and God carries me all the way there. But on the road to there for this year the main goal will be to defend my rainbow jersey at the world championships in Canada in August,” he explained.
Supa Piet – who was nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards in 2016 – has won the Berlin Marathon more than six times and is a multiple African and world record holder, a world champion, and he only has 15% of the muscle function of an able-bodied person due to a cycling accident in 2003.
He was also the first quadriplegic in the world to take part in and complete the Ironman triathlon in 2013.
“Next up as training events will be SASAPD national championships on the track in Germiston in the second half of March and Ironman South Africa 70.3 early April and then a World Cup or so early in May. It’s always tricky to say what my aim is as in most races I start you want to win and I race to win but obviously certain races are not your important ones and your training plan is always to focus on the big ones but I give it my all on race day with the form that I have at that point in time and if it brings me a win, then I take it,” he said.
FULL AWARDS
Sports Star of the Year nominees: Tatjana Schoenmaker, Ntando Mahlangu, Siya Kolisi
Winner: Tatjana Schoenmaker
Sportsman of the Year nominees: Greg Minnaar, Matthew Sates, Makazole Mapimpi
Winner: Makazole Mapimpi
Sportswomen of the Year nominees: Tatjana Schoenmaker, Bianca Buitendag, Liezelle Lee
Winner: Tatjana Schoenmaker
Coach of the Year nominees: Niel Corneuls, Rassie Erasmus, Rocco Meiring
Winner: Rassie Erasmus
Newcomer of the Year nominees: Ronald Brown, Miné De Klerk, Janneman Malan
Winner: Miné De Klerk
Sportsman of the Year with a Disability nominees: Pieter Du Preez, Ntando Mahlangu, Mpumelelo Mhlongo
Winner: Pieter Du Preez
Sportswomen of the Year with a Disability nominees: Anrunè Liebenberg-Weyers, Louzanne Coetzee and Guides: Estean Badenhorst & Clause Kempen, Sheryl James
Winner: Anrunè Liebenberg-Weyers
Team of the Year nominees: Springboks, Spar Proteas Netball, Men’s 4x100m Relay
Winner: Springboks
Recreation Body of the Year nominees: Local Surf Lounge Academy, Skateistan (Gauteng), Fight With Insight (Gauteng)
Winner: Local Surf Lounge Academy
National Federation of the Year nominees: SA Sports Association for Physically Disabled (SASAPD), Surfing, SA Rugby
Winner: SA Rugby
Sport Administrator of the Year nominees: Ndumiso Njabulo Nyawose, Cornelia Swanepoe, Anne Vermaak
Winner: Ndumiso Njabulo Nyawose
Indigenous Games Team of the Year nominees: Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape
Winner: KwaZulu-Natal
Volunteer of the Year nominees: Jodie Ellinor Dreyer, Owen Gabaotswe, Renuka Ramroop
Winner: Owen Gabaotswe
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