VOTING FINISHES FOR BLACK IRIS SPORTS AWARDS

Public voting for the 2014 Black Iris Sports Awards has concluded with the winners to be announced at an event next month.

The final category for Best Paralympic Athlete concluded last night (Thursday ) with 15,000 votes spread between the shortlisted athletes of Khetam Abu Awad (table tennis), Mutaz Al Junaidi (powerlifting) and Abdel Kareem Khattab (powerlifting).

Two other shortlists were put to public vote via the Jordan Olympic Committee Facebook page and web site, but two awards, for Best Sportswoman and Best Young Achiever (female) were already decided by an expert panel.

This year’s system has engaged with the entire sports community, firstly the National Federations who nominated athletes, then the media who decided the shortlists and finally the general public who had the final voting say.

Those in the running for the awards are:

Best Sportsman

Abdel Rahman Al Masatfeh (Karate): Silver at Asian Games

Odai Al Hindawi (Boxing): Silver at the Asian Games

Mohammad Salameh (Muay Thai): Bronze at Asian Beach Games, Gold in Arab Championship

Best Sportswoman: Rana Qubbaj - gold in the World Jujitsu Masters (winner)

Best Young Achiever – Male

Obadah Al Kisbeh (Boxing): Bronze at Asian Games

Hamzeh Qattan (Taekwondo): Silver at World Youth Championships

Zaid Al Halawani (Taekwondo): Gold at World Junior Championships

Best Young Achiever – Female: Eman Al Adayleh qualified for Youth Olympic Games (winner)

Best Paralympic Athlete

Moutaz Al Juniadi (Weightlifting): Gold at World Championships, Silver at Paralympic Asian Games

Khetam Abu Awad (Table Tennis): Silver at World Championships, Bronze at Parlaympic Asian Games

Abdel Kareem Khattab (Weightlifting): Gold in Asian Paralympic Games