SHORTLIST TO BE REVEALED FOR LEADING SPORT ACHIEVERS OF 2013

Jordan’s sports media have finished voting for the athletes that they believe have achieved most during 2013, and the shortlists will be put to the public vote from Sunday, January 19.

There are a total of five categories for the Black Iris Sports Awards which are organized by the Jordan Olympic Committee, the umbrella organisation for sport in Jordan.

Each of the five categories will have three athletes on the shortlist, with voting opening on Sunday through both the Jordan Olympic Committee Facebook page and the official web site www.joc.jo.

More than 50 journalists have voted from several media outlets, but it will be the public who decides which athletes will pick up the prestigious awards.

The five categories and some other facts from media votes include (remember only three will be on the final shortlist):

Best Sportsman of 2013: Six names in total from football, karate, kickboxing and equestrian.

Best Sportswoman of 2013: Six names from football, taekwondo, weightlifting and equestrian. 

Young Achiever of the Year (male): Nine names from squash, football and chess. 

Young Achiever of the Year (female): Ten names from fencing, football, swimming, cycling, chess and karate.

Paralympics Category: Five names from marathon, weightlifting and table tennis.

Remember only three from each section have made the shortlist which will be posted for the public vote on the Jordan Olympic Committee Facebook page on Sunday for 15 days.

The Black Iris Awards were launched in 2006 to recognize sporting excellence. Last year there were three categories and the winners were Ahmed Abu Ghoush (Sportsman - taekwondo), Riham Abu Ghazaleh (Sportswoman – karate) and Suhaul Al Nashash (Paralympic – marathon).