Proteas Women Dominate 2026 gsport Awards in Major Night for South African Cricket
The Proteas Women were among the biggest winners at the 2026 gsport Awards, with South African cricket claiming several of the night’s most prestigious honours at a ceremony celebrating the country’s leading women in sport.
The 21st edition of the gsport Awards took place at the Wanderers Club in Illovo, Johannesburg, on Saturday, 8 August 2026, with 28 honours handed out across 20 categories.
According to gsport4girls, which published the original announcement, almost 475 public nominations were received before an independent judging panel and national public vote helped determine the winners.
Cricket emerged as the dominant force on the night, with the Proteas Women named Team of the Year, while head coach Mandla Mashimbyi collected the Coach of the Year award and Cricket South Africa (CSA) was named Federation of the Year.
Proteas Women rewarded for remarkable rise
The Team of the Year award recognises a Proteas Women side that has continued to establish itself among the leading teams in international women’s cricket.
South Africa reached consecutive Women’s Cricket World Cup finals, underlining the team’s remarkable consistency on the global stage.
Their success continued with an emphatic series triumph over India in April, further strengthening the Proteas Women’s reputation as one of the leading sides in the international game.
Mashimbyi’s contribution to that progress was also recognised. The Proteas Women head coach received the Coach of the Year award for the tactical execution and psychological blueprint behind the team’s rise.
The night therefore provided recognition not only for the players but also for the coaching structures and leadership helping South African women’s cricket compete at the highest level.
Cricket South Africa also takes major honour
The success extended beyond the national team, with Cricket South Africa receiving the Federation of the Year award.
CSA was recognised for securing standalone corporate partnerships for the Hollywoodbets Pro20 and Pro50 leagues, as well as integrating women administrators into its executive, board and coaching structures.
Those developments have played an important role in the continued professionalisation and growth of women’s cricket in South Africa.
The awards also brought individual recognition for several members and contributors to the cricket community.
Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt took the night’s top individual honour after being named Athlete of the Year.
Wolvaardt played a major role in South Africa’s run to the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup final and also produced a landmark performance against India when she struck a 47-ball T20 International century.
The century was her 17th in international cricket, drawing her level with the all-time record for the most centuries in women’s international cricket.
Proteas spin bowler Nonkululeko Mlaba was named Style Star of the Year, adding another award to the strong showing from South African cricket.
Veteran statistician and broadcaster Sue Abbott received Special Recognition for three decades of analytical innovation and contribution to the women’s game.
A landmark night for women’s sport
While cricket dominated the awards, the ceremony also celebrated achievements across a broad spectrum of South African and African women’s sport.
One of the evening’s most significant honours went to former Banyana Banyana star Portia Modise, who was inducted as the 21st member of the gsport Hall of Fame.
The honour was particularly symbolic as gsport celebrated its 21st year.
Modise was formally honoured at a luncheon at the Protea Hotel by Marriott Wanderers on Friday, 7 August.
The Banyana Banyana legend became the first African footballer to score 100 international goals and ended her international career with 102. Her famous long-range strike from the halfway line against Sweden at the 2012 Olympic Games remains one of the most memorable goals in African women’s football.
The awards also highlighted the next generation of sporting talent.
Seventeen-year-old Katleho Malebana was named School Sports Star of the Year after captaining South Africa at junior level while also featuring for the Mamelodi Sundowns senior side.
Athletics star Joviale Mbisha won Emerging Athlete of the Year after defending her national 100m title and helping the South African 4x100m relay team set a national record of 43.22 seconds.
Simoné Kruger received the Para Sport Star of the Year award after defending her F38 discus world title in New Delhi with a season’s best throw of 37.39 metres.
Media, advocacy and commercial support recognised
The awards also recognised the growing contribution of women working behind the scenes and in sports media.
Lonwabo Miso won both Woman in Radio and Woman in Television, while Stephanie Mawdsley received Woman in Social Media for her work promoting women’s football through Steph Talks Football.
Photographer Cecilia van Bers was named Woman in Print, while Monya Greyvenstein took Woman in PR and Sponsorship for her work connecting athletes, media and corporate partners in women’s rugby.
Boxing manager Colleen McAusland was named Woman of the Year for her work producing champions and campaigning against gender-based violence.
Simangele Hadebe received the African Woman in Sport award after defending her WBO All Africa flyweight title in February.
Dr Debbie Alexander, World Triathlon’s 1st Vice President and the sole International Federation representative on the International Paralympic Committee Governing Board, was named Global Woman in Sport.
Volunteer of the Year went to Jill Fortuin, who has spent more than 35 years involved in lifesaving, while Prabashnee Naidoo was named Supporter of the Year for her work promoting volleyball through the B’volleyd Movement.
Hollywoodbets was recognised as Sponsor of the Year for its investment in professionalising the Super League and introducing the Amplified festival format alongside SAFA and SABC.
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture also presented Ministerial Recognition of Excellence awards to Liezl Gouws, Paris-Gail Isaacs, Jenny van Dyk, Bonolo Mokoma and Roshael Hoosen.
Penny Heyns marks 20 years of gsport
Swimming legend Penny Heyns received the 20 Years of gsport Award, returning to the platform where her association with the organisation began.
Heyns was gsport’s first-ever honouree and was inducted into its inaugural Hall of Fame on 1 August 2006.
She remains the only woman to win both Olympic breaststroke titles at a single Games.
For South African cricket, however, the 2026 gsport Awards will be remembered as another significant milestone in the continued rise of the Proteas Women.
With the national team, coaching staff and governing body all recognised among the night’s major winners, the awards offered further evidence of the growing impact and visibility of women’s cricket in South Africa.
Proteas Women Dominate 2026 gsport Awards in Major Night for South African Cricket (Image: gsport4girls)
Source: gsport4girls
2026 gsport Awards winners
Team of the Year: Proteas Women
Athlete of the Year: Laura Wolvaardt
Coach of the Year: Mandla Mashimbyi
Federation of the Year: Cricket South Africa
Style Star of the Year: Nonkululeko Mlaba
Special Recognition: Sue Abbott
Para Sport Star of the Year: Simoné Kruger
School Sports Star of the Year: Katleho Malebana
Emerging Athlete of the Year: Joviale Mbisha
African Woman in Sport: Simangele Hadebe
Global Woman in Sport: Dr Debbie Alexander
Woman of the Year: Colleen McAusland
Sponsor of the Year: Hollywoodbets
Volunteer of the Year: Jill Fortuin
Woman in Radio: Lonwabo Miso
Woman in Television: Lonwabo Miso
Woman in Social Media: Stephanie Mawdsley
Woman in Print: Cecilia van Bers
Woman in PR and Sponsorship: Monya Greyvenstein
Supporter of the Year: Prabashnee Naidoo
Public Choice Award: Hlobisile Khumalo
gsport Hall of Fame 2026: Portia Modise
Ministerial Recognition of Excellence: Liezl Gouws
Ministerial Recognition of Excellence: Paris-Gail Isaacs
Ministerial Recognition of Excellence: Jenny van Dyk
Ministerial Recognition of Excellence: Bonolo Mokoma
Ministerial Recognition of Excellence: Roshael Hoosen
20 Years of gsport Award: Penny Heyns