WORLD long jump bronze medallist Ruswahl Samaai’s behaviour this weekend smacks of sour grapes!
The 2014 Commonwealth bronze medallist was spitting fire after he was overlooked for the Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) Senior Male Athlete of the Year award at a gala dinner in Joburg on Saturday.
Lebogang “Daywalker” Shange took the big award on the night, leaving Samaai fuming.
Samaai, who finished third in the long jump event at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in London in August, seemed unable to stomach his disappointment, venting his frustrations on social media afterwards.
Shange finished fourth in the men’s 20km walk at the World Championships in London, clocking 1:19:18 to set a national record. Samaai leapt to 8.32m to secure bronze medal in the long jump.
The 26-year-old Samaai wrote on his Twitter account: “Recognition can kiss my ass,” after he received a special recognition award for international participation from CGA president James Moloi.
When contacted to clarify his Twitter rant yesterday, Samaai told SunSport: “It does not make any sense, I was robbed.
“How does an athlete who finishes fourth beat an athlete that earned a world medal?
“An award does not define me. But I’m very upset about this. I don’t understand how it happened.”
Shange won a R5 000 Spar shopping voucher, an undisclosed amount of cash, a trophy and a certificate as CGA Male Athlete of the Year winner.
Speedster Mapaseka Makhanya won the Female Athlete of the Year award.
CGA general manager Mandla Radebe said the selection criteria were based on a points system and that a points tally would be boosted by setting a record.
Radebe said Samaai’s behaviour seemed like sour grapes, or unsportsmanlike behaviour.
“We have a transparent process. It’s very sad to hear Samaai crying foul. It’s sour grapes! He is a sore loser.”
CGA president Moloi was equally as shocked at Samaai’s outburst: “I didn’t realise he was that furious.”
