The SP Sports Awards are back again and the list of 35 finalists for the 13 categories have been announced. After a long week of deliberation by the official Auditor of the SPSA, the top 3 of each award categories have been vetted, following their respective selections, and were recommended by the SP Awards Selection Panel, headed by Chair Warwick Vele. “This year we received a good number of high-quality nominations in each category, from all over the country and abroad, and included new names and faces.” He added that it was especially pleasing to receive nominations for the categories outside of the high-profile ones, these being for Community Sports Initiative, Best Sportsperson with a Disability, and National Performance. The finalists, in alphabetical order, for the SP Sports Awards are: 1. Male Athlete of the Year Morea Baru Matthew Stubbings Alwin Komolong 2. Female Athlete of the year Violet Apisah Dika Toua Tanya Rumah 3. Team of the Year PNG Lewas Womens Tennis PNG Lakatois 4. National Performance of the Year Morobe Hammerheads Lae Natives Benjamin Aliel 5. Community Sports Initiative Award Santos Love Cricket Program Kavieng Basketball Roland Muluyaru 6. Junior Male Athlete of the Year John Kariko Jnr Sugar Ray Hakena Adam Maikai 7. Junior Female Athlete of the Year Idau Vagi Dika Lohia Colita Hakena 8. Best Sports Person with a Disability Dorna Longbut Steven Abraham Haoda Agari 9. Sports Official of the Year David Yareboinen Barbara Stubbings Nelson Stone 10. Sports Photo of the Year Jordan Sere Fidelis Wasari Charlie Dumavi 11. Sports Media of the Year Rikila Wura Patricia Keamo Charlie Dumavi This announcement also includes the opening of the SMS Voting for the People’s Choice Award, by which the winner of the PCA is selected through a public vote. The more votes a finalist gets, the more chances of them winning. Candidates for this category come from four finalists of the following. Male Athlete of the Year Female Athlete of the Year Team of the Year National Performance of the Year Voting for the People’s Choice Award category will close on 26th May 2023. The SP Awards Presentation Dinner will be held at the traditional home of the Awards, Crowne Hotel (formerly Plaza) this year, on Saturday 27th May 2023. This will be the first SPSA after a 3-year hiatus due to the covid-19 pandemic and it will also be livestreamed on the SP Sports Awards Page.