South African athletics sensation Prudence Sekgodiso has added another major accolade to her rapidly growing list of achievements.
The 24-year-old was crowned Sportswoman of the Year at the 19th South African Sport Awards at Sun City, North West, on Sunday night.
The prestigious award, accompanied by R50,000, caps a remarkable period for the Limpopo-born 800m star, whose rise to the top of South African athletics has gathered momentum both at home and on the international stage.
Sekgodiso was competing against Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt and surfski paddler Kira Bester for the coveted award. Her victory came after a standout 2025 season that saw her establish herself among the country’s leading female athletes.
The award is particularly significant given the company Sekgodiso now keeps. Earlier this month, African Times reported that the athlete was among Limpopo’s leading nominees for the 19th South African Sport Awards, following a series of historic performances.
The African Times report highlighted Sekgodiso’s breakthrough as the first South African woman to win a World Athletics Indoor Championships gold medal, an achievement that further cemented her status as one of the country’s most exciting middle-distance runners.
She was also named Athlete of the Year at the 2025 Sport Awards.
Her remarkable journey has continued into 2026.
According to World Athletics, the middle-distance runner is the reigning World Indoor 800m champion and has recorded a personal best of 1:56.83, set in Pretoria on 28 June 2026. Sekgodiso is currently ranked among the world’s leading women’s 800m athletes.
Her coach, Samuel Sepeng, received the award and cheque last night in her absence.
For Sekgodiso, the latest honour represents more than individual recognition. Her success has become a source of pride for Limpopo and an inspiration to young athletes, particularly young women hoping to make their mark in sport.
Born and raised in Medingen village near Tzaneen, Sekgodiso has repeatedly carried the hopes of her home province onto the international stage. Her achievements have also drawn recognition from Greater Letaba Municipality, which recently celebrated her achievements and described her success as placing the municipality on the global sporting map.
Her latest triumph therefore marks another chapter in what is becoming a remarkable athletics story.
From a promising young runner from Limpopo to a world indoor champion and now South Africa’s Sportswoman of the Year, Sekgodiso’s trajectory has been hailed as a powerful reminder of how far talent, discipline and determination can take an athlete.
