Thomas, Percival Get Sports Awards Nominations

At least three associations have made public their male and female nominees for next year’s National Sports Awards slated for February 19.
The Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA), the Antigua and Barbuda Bodybuilding & Weightlifting Federation (ABBWF) and the Antigua and Barbuda Draughts Association (ABDA), have all publicized their nominations for the awards that will highlight the performances of athletes from January through December of 2018.
National and Windies A wicketkeeper batsman, Devon “Booby” Thomas, has been nominated by the cricket association for the top male award, while Shawnisha Hector, who captained the Leeward Islands during the Cricket West Indies’ female tournament held in June in Jamaica got the nod as the female nominee.
President of the cricket association, Leon “Kuma” Rodney, explained that the decision was a close one between Thomas and fellow national and Windies A player, Rahkeem Cornwall for the men’s nominee.
“We have to take everything into consideration. It has been a tight one because when you look at Booby and remember last year we sent Rahkeem to that [nominated him for the award]. It still could have been but it was a close call as both of them would have done reasonably well from the local, regional, international — so either one gets the [nod] I don’t think it should even be a why or why not,” he said.
Speaking on the association’s female nominee, Rodney said Hector was the best candidate for the position.
“We really don’t have many of the girls who did well when they got to the Leeward Islands level and you must understand that. Our consideration is that Shawnisha remains the captain of the Leewards and so forth because she is a young person so she would have gotten the bly [chance]. I think the selection by the board would have been a reasonably good one,” the cricket boss said.
Meanwhile, reigning Sportswoman of the Year Kimberly Ephraim and classic bodybuilder, Bernard Percival Jr., were named by the bodybuilding and weightlifting federation as their female and male nominees for 2018.
Ephraim would have completed her year with an IFBB ranking of 20th in her bikini fitness category while Percival would have earned his IFBB elite pro card after winning the Giovanni Arendz Classic in Aruba in August.
There were nominations also from the draughts association with Bernard “Premier” Willock nominated for the mind sports award. He is joined by Granville Gordon who was nominated as the official of the year and St. Clair Josiah as the administrator of the year.