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Thousands of sports fans around the
world have voted South African rugby player Siya Kolisi as winner of the
July Laureus Sporting Moment of the Month Competition. This means he will be
a contender for the annual award
Kolisi¡¦s "moment"
came when he stepped onto the field in Johannesburg in June 2018, as the
first black African player to captain the Springboks. He was leading the
team against England in what he said was a ¡§huge privilege and an honour¡¨.
Laureus said: ¡§Siya¡¦s appointment as captain was historic moment for the
unity of the once divided country".
Kolisi, who grew up in poverty but still made it to the top, said: ¡§I can¡¦t
stand here and say I represent this one group. I represent the whole of
South Africa.¡¨
What made Kolisi¡¦s moment even more special was that, as he ran onto that
field ¡V he was wearing the iconic No. 6 jersey ¡K just like that worn by the
first Patron of Laureus ¡V former President Nelson Mandela ¡V at the historic
1995 Rugby World Cup Final, which was at the same venue.
The Laureus Sporting Moment Award is about qualities such as fair play,
sportsmanship, drama and dedication ¡V those inspiring, emotional moments
that symbolise the true value of sport and how it has the power to change
the world.
Other nominees in this year¡¦s Laureus Sporting Moment of the Year include
ski jumping legends Sven Hannawald and Kamil Stoch, Doddie Weir, Rochdale
football star Joe Thompson, and Chinese double-amputee, Xia Boyu, who
climbed Mt Everest.
¡V Source: www.sapeople.com |
