As expected, Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce walked away the RJR Foundation National Sportsman and Sportswoman awards for the year 2013 in a glittering ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Friday night.
Netball aficionado Molly Rhone won the prestigious Sagicor Iconic Award; veteran jockey Winston Griffiths was presented with the Chairman’s Award and schoolboy Javon Francis ran away with the People’s Choice Performance of the Year award.
Bolt, 27, who was recently named IAAF Male World Athlete of the Year and Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, was copping the RJR National Sportsman of the Year award for the fifth consecutive year, following his outstanding performances at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow where he won three gold medals in the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay.
“For me, this year was a wonderful year. It was hard; a lot of ups and downs, but overall it was a great season,” said Bolt, who was neatly decked in a grey suit, black shirt and black and grey tie.
“I had a lot of support from all over the world, including my family, my friends, and I want to thank everyone for that. I want to thank RJR for keeping this one more year and giving me a cheque,” he said laughing.
“You guys have showed me so much love, and the energy that I have gotten this year is just continuing to grow in so many ways,” he added.
Like Bolt, Fraser-Pryce added the RJR National Sportswoman of the Year award to the IAAF Female World Athlete of the Year following a dominant season in which she copped three gold at the Moscow World Championships and walked away with the historic Diamond League sprint double titles.
“I would like to say thanks to the RJR Foundation and its selection committee for choosing me again this year, it’s very sweet,” she said with a chuckle.
“It was a hard year. It was a year that met my expectations, seeing that I worked hard. I was fully committed to the task ahead and I completed it,” she noted.
“It was an effort from me that was collective; my managers, my teammates as well, my coaches and, of course, my family and my friends. I always said the 2013 sportswoman of the year comes over into 2014 and I hope it’s a blessing of a good start to days to come,” said Fraser-Pryce.
Source-Jamaica Observer
