TENSION is mounting as the much-awaited Sports Awards of the Year 2003 crowning ceremony nears.

Sports personalities of the year Allan Julie and Janet Thélermont are in with a chance of retaining their titles as they feature among the 10 male and female finalists challenging for places in the top five.

The names of the 10 sportsmen and women who will be in the running for the coveted Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards were chosen through secret ballot by seven of the 10 Selection Committee members present for Thursday afternoon's (January 8) second meeting in the Oceangate House boardroom

The 10 female finalists are Céline Laporte, Lindy Leveaux (athletics), Juliette Ah-Wan, Shirley Etienne (badminton), Shrone Austin (swimming), Chantal Hoffman (windsurfing), Anne Delcy, Jerina Bonne (volleyball), Janet Thélermont and Julie Matatiken (weightlifting).

Jude Sidonie (athletics), Nelson Sopha (football), Hudson Mathieu (cycling), Alvin Gabriel (boxing), Steven Baccus, Richard Scheer (weightlifting), Allan Julie (sailing), Georgie Cupidon (badminton), Kenny Roberts (swimming) and Jonathan Barbé (windsurfing) are the 10 male finalists.

It is to be noted that the names of the athletes are not in order of preference.

In the event of Thélermont winning the big prize on the night of January 23 at the SMB Exhibition Hall, Roche Caïman, she will become the first female athlete to retain the Sportslady of the Year title.

As for three-time male winner Julie, he will be aiming for a fourth consecutive win for a place in the history of the country's awards ceremony. No athlete has won the Sportsman of the Year title four years in a row.

It is to note that former light middleweight boxer Rival Payet (formerly Cadeau) is the all-time record holder with four titles in 1989, 1993, 1994 and 1995.

Apart from Julie and Payet, former boxer Jerry Legras has also achieved a hat-trick of wins by claiming the title in 1987, 1996 and 1997.

It is also worth noting that Sportswoman for the Year 1996 Lindy Leveaux, Sportswoman for the Year 1997 Jerina Bonne, Sportswoman for the Year 2000 Juliette Ah-Wan, outgoing Sportslady of the Year Janet Thélermont, Shrone Austin, three-time Sportsman of the Year Allan Julie, Hudson Mathieu, Georgie Cupidon and Steven Baccus were among last year's finalists.

In the young athletes category, the Selection Committee yesterday also shortlisted the names of the five finalists.

Shrone Austin stands a chance of extending her number of wins to two in a row after being nominated among the five finalists for the Young Female Athlete of the Year title.

The other four who remain in the running for the title are Danielle Jupiter (badminton), Beth Gertrude (sailing), Clementina Agricole (weightlifting) and Sophia Jumaye (volleyball).

Shrone Austin, Clementina Agricole and Sophia Jumaye were among last year's seven female finalists.

The fact that Young Male Athlete of the Year Terrence Dixie is over the age limit of 18 years old and has climbed into the senior category, a new male winner will be known on January 23.

The five nominees for the Young Male Athlete of the Year title are Ronny Rose (football), Steven Mangroo (swimming), Samuel Betsy (badminton), Amadou Sylla (basketball) and Alex Savy (cycling).

Of the five finalists, only Steven Mangroo, who finished as runner-up to Dixie featured in last year's top seven.

Like in the senior category, the names of the junior athletes are not in order of preference.

For a second year running, the top three young male and female athletes will be rewarded during the glittering crowning ceremony.

It is also worth noting that since cyclist Hudson Mathieu and female badminton player Juliette Ah-Wan moved to the senior category in 2000, the best Young Male and Female Athletes of the Year titles have changed hands every year.

Ah-Wan, a three-time Young Female Athlete of the Year winner in 1997, 1998 and 1999, was succeeded by Natacha Bibi (athletics, 2000), Helda Marie (athletics, 2001) and Shrone Austin (swimming, 2002).

As for four-time Young Male Athlete of the Year Mathieu (1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999), his successors have been Rachid Rosalie (table tennis, 2000), Marvis Confait (athletics, 2001) and Terrence Dixie (weightlifting, 2002).

G. G.