Zimpapers dominates at Sports journalists awards.

The third edition of the annual Sports Journalists Association awards (SPOJA) were held on Friday night at Chicken Basket in My Pleasant. The awards ceremony saw some of the big names in the media industry in Zimbabwe being awarded for their hard work and dedication. Yvonne Mangunda of Star Fm walked away with two awards, one for the best reporter in electronic media and one for the multimedia repoter of the year. She was also awarded with a level two coaching certificate. Other winners included ZBC veteran sports reporter who walked away as the first runner up in the best electronic sports reporter of the year category and L Trusida as the second runner up.

Blessing Litso from HMetro was named best emerging reporter of the year whilst Wilson Kakukurima was awarded the best photographer of the year award. The guest of honour at the ceremnoy was Zimbabwe Union Of Journalists president Michael Chideme. Other people who attended the event were SRC representative Tirivashe Nheweyembwa, Steve Vickers who was part of the adjudication committee and representatives of Exide Zimbabwe who were the main sponsors of the event.

The MC Valentine Mabhugu kept guests entertained as he gave some hillarious jabs at the winners. In his speech, Steve Vickers urged sports journalists to think outside the box and to be objective in their reporting. He also encouraged those who go on foreign trips to report their stories with creativity and to look for new angles to bring out their stories. SPOJA is an organisation which seeks to empower practising sports journalists through various programmes such as workshops as well as the annual awards ceremony.