Victory Hall hosts the revival of LASA, celebrating excellence in sports with Chris Theko and April Mahase as emcees
Kananelo Mokhele
The Lesotho Sports and Recreation Commission (LSRC) is set to host the much-anticipated Lesotho Annual Sports Awards (LASA) this Friday, in Maseru.
The event will be emceed by Chris Theko, a renowned broadcaster and sports journalist, alongside April Mahase, a popular socialite and host.
LSRC officially announced the revival of the awards programme on Tuesday, last week.
The ceremony will take place at Victory Hall from 14:00 to 18:00, with the aim of celebrating athletes who have achieved excellence in various sports, recognising their dedication and contribution to the sporting landscape in Lesotho.
Malitsietsi Zwakala, the LSRC Coordinator, emphasised that this marks the fourth edition of the prestigious awards. The ceremony will recognise not only athletes but also coaches and individuals who have played a significant role in establishing sports organizations in the country.
The LASA was first introduced in 2017, following the inaugural Sports Legacy Awards held in 2016. The initial awards were dedicated to honouring legends across various sporting disciplines, including administrators, athletes, and umpires.
“We started with 20 categories in 2017 and continued until 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the event,” said Zwakala. “Since then, the awards were not held until now, in 2025, when we are proudly launching the fourth edition.”
Zwakala also shared that the awards are recognised by the African Sports Council of the region, which includes countries in Southern Africa. As members of this council, countries are expected to implement programs like these to comply with regional requirements.
One key expectation is that awards ceremonies be held in the member countries of Region 5, where Lesotho is a proud participant.
Following these awards, the LSRC selects a nominee to represent Lesotho at the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Regional Annual Sports Awards (RASA), held annually on Africa Day, May 25.
“We’ve had representatives reach the finals since the first edition, and we’ve even had one winner,” Malitsietsi noted.
In 2024, Michelle Tau became the first local athlete to win the RASA Sportswoman of the Year award, making history in the six years since its inception.
From the original 20 categories, 14 will be included this year. Categories such as Newcomer of the Year, Sport Star of the Year, National Federation of the Year, School Sport of the Year, and the Presidential Award will be reserved for the 5th edition.
A panel of evaluators includes sports administrator Letsatsi Ntsibulane, Alliance Insurance’s ‘Maneo Lelimo, legend coach Thabiso Moqhali, and senior sports journalist Tebalo Lebajoa.
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