JOHANNESBURG, December 13 (ANA) – Banyana Banyana captain Janine van Wyk said on Monday she was delighted to have been nominated for the 2016 CAF Women’s Player of the Year Award.
Van Wyk has been an ever-present in the national team set up since she was given the armband in 2013.
She faces stiff competition from Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria and Arsenal Ladies), Elizabeth Addo (Ghana and Kvarnsvedensik), Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene (Cameroon and Rossiyanka) as well as Raissa Fedjio Tchuanyo (Cameroon and Aland United).
“It is a very formidable line-up of nominees and I am greatly honoured to be competing against such great players who I have huge respect for.
“To be nominated alongside them says I am doing something right, and just to be on that list is a great achievement, I can only hope that all goes well and when they read out the name on the night, it will be mine.
“I guess to be the best you need to compete against the best,” said Van Wyk, shortly after she led her side to a second-place finish in the 2016 Sasol League National Championship in Mosselbaai.
At 29, she has in recent times been nominated for various awards and scooped others.
In 2010 she was chosen as the SAFA Player of the Year, and the following year she was picked as the COSAFA Player of the Year.
Van Wyk was honoured with the Ekurhuleni Sport Women of the Year in 2012, and three years later was named the Gauteng Sports Awards Sports Personality of the Year.
Van Wyk remains the highest capped footballer in South Africa with 142 appearances for the national team.
Also nominated at the CAF Awards is Banyana Banyana for the Women’s National Team of the Year. They are competing against Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
South Africa’s other representatives in the awards are Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane for Coach of the Year, while the club is nominated for Club of the Year.
Under Mosimane, Sundowns won the 2016 CAF African Champions League and qualified for the FIFA Club World Club Championship currently underway in Japan.
The Brazilians are also dominating the list of nominations for the African Player of the Year Award – based in Africa, with Keagan Dolly, Hlompho Kekana, Khama Billiat and Dennis Onyango (all of Sundowns) competing against Rainford Kalaba of Zambia and plays for TP Mazembe.
The winners will be announced at the CAF Awards Gala scheduled for Thursday, January 5, 2017, in Abuja, Nigeria. – African News Agency (ANA)
