MBABANE – The kingdom’s martial arts star, Thando Dlamini, has been named the winner of the Sportsman of the Year 2025 award at the prestigious British Army Sports Awards.
The ceremony was held on Thursday night, where Dlamini outclassed two other strong contestants for the top gong from the United Kingdom (UK) Army.
His competition included Rob Vincent from shooting and the sprinter Marvric Pamphile. They provided stiff competition in the category, which was sponsored by Vodafone UK.
It was a historic victory for the 33-year-old liSwati, who successfully battled cancer for two years before bouncing back onto the martial arts scene this year.
The British Army stated that the black belt artist won notable events such as the Liverpool and Wales Open, which are believed to have contributed to him being named the outstanding male sports performer this year. Immediate comment from Dlamini, who has been with the British Army for about six years, was unsuccessful yesterday.
His victory was officially announced by the British Army through their official Facebook page, where they described him as a true warrior, ambassador and rising star in army sport.
“From enlisting in 2019 to becoming Army Middleweight Champion, Welsh Open Champion and No.1 ranked Eswatini taekwondo athlete, Thando has overcome cancer and dominates national and international competition,” the statement read.
The award was presented by the Director of Army Programmes, Major General Chris King and Vodafone Head of Brand, Maria Koutsoudakis.
Leave a comment