Siya Kolisi Nominated For Prestigious BBC World Sport Star of the Year 2019
South Africa rugby captain Siya Kolisi who captained South Africa on the way to the Springboks’ victories at the Rugby Championship and the Rugby World Cup in Japan and also made history as the first black South African captain to lift the Webb Ellis Cup was announced as a nominee for the 2019 BBC World Sport Star of the Year.
The BBC World Sport Star of the Year (formerly known as the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year) is an award presented at the annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year award ceremony. The award is presented to a non-British sportsperson considered to have made the most substantial contribution to a sport in that year.
Kolisi was nominated alongside Kenyan marathon great Eliud Kipchoge, Australian cricketer Steve Smith and a trio of Americans: gymnast Simone Biles, women’s soccer captain Megan Rapinoe and golfer Tiger Woods.
“Very grateful for the @BBCSport recognition however this is not about one person. I’m nothing without my teammates & our whole organization. Proud to celebrate this nomination together,” Kolisi tweeted on Monday.
The award will be given at the Sports Personality show on Sunday 15 December in Aberdeen.
History was made in stunning style as Kolisi, the Springboks’ first black captain, skippered South Africa to a 32-12 victory over England in the Rugby World Cup final.
About Kolisi, the BBC wrote:
“The flanker was praised for his leadership in Japan and helping to unify a nation despite a difficult social and political backdrop.”
It has been a roller coaster year for Kolisi, just last week, it was also confirmed that he had signed a deal with rapper Jay-Z’s high-profile sports management company, Roc Nation Sports.
Late last month, he was invited by English football giants Liverpool to watch a Champions League match at Anfield, while he also appeared on Sky Sports News as a pundit.
By Gerald Dandah
