BY THOBILE NDLANGAMANDLA (INTERN)
MBABANE – Eswatini’s young sporting talent has received continental recognition after two athletes, Banele Matse of the Eswatini Darts Association and Siphiwokuhle Ndlela of the Eswatini Taekwondo Association, were nominated for the 2026 Regional Annual Sports Awards (RASA), scheduled to take place in Luanda, Angola.
Matse has been nominated for the Junior Male Sportsperson of the Year, a category that recognises outstanding performance, consistency, and development among emerging male athletes across the region. His nomination places Eswatini darts on the continental map, highlighting the growing competitiveness of the sport beyond traditional mainstream disciplines.
Ndlela has been shortlisted for the Junior Female Sportsperson of the Year, in recognition of her achievements and dedication in taekwondo at junior level. Her nomination reflects the steady rise of combat sports in Eswatini and the increasing participation of young women in high-performance sport.
The nominations place both athletes among a strong field of regional contenders from countries including Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Angola, across multiple sporting codes.
The RASA awards are regarded as one of Southern Africa’s leading sporting recognition platforms, bringing together athletes, coaches, journalists, and teams who have delivered outstanding performances over the past sporting year.
For Eswatini, the double nomination is seen as a positive indicator of growing sports development, particularly in emerging disciplines such as darts and taekwondo, which continue to gain visibility on the continental stage.
As anticipation builds ahead of the ceremony in Angola, Eswatini will be hoping its representatives can convert their nominations into awards and further elevate the country’s sporting reputation.
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