THE top five male and female athletes for the year 2001 will only be known during the traditional Sports Awards of the Year crowning gala on January 18 at the SMB Exhibition Hall at Roche Caïman, but the Organising Committee has already revealed the prizes they are to win.

A spokesperson for the Organisation Committee of the 2001 Sports Awards of the Year crowning ceremony has said that the five finalists will receive the same prizes as their predecessors.

The two successors of both outgoing Sportslady of the Year Juliette Ah-Wan and Sportsman of the Year Allen Julie will each receive a return ticket to any European destination sponsored by Air Seychelles, R15,000, the huge floating cup, a certificate and another smaller cup.

The runners-up will get a return ticket to Johannesburg also sponsored by Air Seychelles, R8,000, a cup and a certificate.

The local airline will also sponsor two return tickets to Singapore, one each to the female and male third finishers who will also pocket R6,000, a cup and a certificate apiece.

As for British Airways, it will give away a return ticket to Nairobi to both the female and male fourth-place finishers who will also get R4,000 each, a cup and a certificate.

The two fifth finishers will each get a weekend for two at the Plantation Club Hotel, R3,000, a cup and a certificate.

As for the best female and male junior winners, they will each pocket R1,500 each, a cup and a certificate.

It is to be noted that all male and female athletes chosen as the best by their respective federations or associations will get R3,000.

Meanwhile, Cement Company has joined the growing list of sponsors with a sum of R5,000, bringing the total sum raised by the Organising Committee to 137,000.