By Dzudzie Faith Netshisaulu
Style, glamour, colour and beauty were the order of the day as ladies in sport converged at the luscious Shepstone Gardens for the very first gsport Charlotte Maxeke Hall of Fame Luncheon.
The glitzy affair which was held on Wednesday, honours and celebrates the 16 extraordinary Hall of Famers who paved the way for women in sport. It also celebrates previous Momentum gsport Awards winners and current #gsport17 finalists, ahead of this year’s awards evening taking place next week in Johannesburg.
Themed, “Power of recognition”, the luncheon was attended by famous sports women like Olympic gold medallist, Penny Heyns, Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis, who is a finalist for the coach of the year accolade this year, and South Africa’s number one sports fan, Mama Joy Chauke.
Swimming sensation Heyns, who was the very first gsport Hall of Fame Inductee, had the venue in stiches as she walked down memory lane, sharing the pains and joys of her road to stardom. She also took a moment to share some tips with young swimmer Lara van Niekerk, who is a double finalist this year.
Kass Naidoo gsport founder and a champion for women in sport in her own right, reminisced on how the awards came about years ago, she thanked sponsors who have since come aboard and continued to support the awards.