Anant Singh's 'Personal Best' nominated for prestigious Sportel Award
Anant Singh’s "Personal Best" chronicles the indomitable spirit of Cindy Ngamba, following her journey from refugee to boxing medalist. The film also features other remarkable athletes as they push their boundaries in their quest for triumph.
Image: Instagram.
South African film-maker Anant Singh's latest documentary, "Personal Best", has received a nomination at the prestigious Sportel Awards.
The 35th Sportel Awards spotlight productions that showcase the beauty of sport, historic sports records and the spirit of sportsmanship over three days, culminating with the awards ceremony at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on October 20.
In 2023, "Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story" brought home a prestigious Sportel Award.
Singh's "Personal Best" will go head-to-head with the UK's "Unbreakable: England 2003" and "Mandala", a doccie from Andorra, in the Best Thematic Documentary category.
Other categories include Best Slow Motion, Best Biopic, Best Docu-Series, Best Report and Sport Book Prize, among others.
"We are excited that 'Personal Best' received a nomination for Sportel's Best Thematic Documentary award, especially as Sportel makes its selection from the world’s top broadcasters and streaming services.
"This recognition is truly humbling for one little film celebrating the spirit of Paris 2024 and is a first for a South Africa/European Union production," shared Singh.
"Personal Best" takes viewers on an immersive cinematic journey into the heart of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The film follows extraordinary athletes as they push their limits in pursuit of sporting glory. Highlights include Faith Kipyegon’s incredible speed on the track, Noah Lyles’s quick sprints and Olga Kharlan’s fearless fencing.
Viewers will also meet Léon Marchand, a swimming prodigy and boxer Cindy Ngamba, who embodies resilience, having transitioned from a refugee to a medalist.
Other remarkable athletes featured in the film include badminton champions Huang Yaqiong and Zheng Siwei, along with surfing star Jack Robinson.
Meanwhile, triple Olympic champion Marie-José Pérec is set to receive the Autobiography Award for her book "Ma vie olympique", which recounts forty years of an exceptional journey, from her beginnings in Guadeloupe to the lighting of the Olympic cauldron in Paris.
Former sprinter, Marie-José Pérec will be honoured with the Autobiography Award a the Sportel Awards in Monaco.
Image: Instagram.
"I am deeply honoured to receive this award for a book whose sole purpose is to demonstrate that it is possible.
"Regardless of one’s origin, skin colour or social background, anyone can believe in their dreams and bring them to fruition. If these pages can inspire even a handful of young people to dare, to persevere and to have faith in themselves, my joy would be boundless," said Pérec.
Former race car driver Jacky Ickx.
Image: Instagram.
Former race car driver Jacky Ickx will receive the 2025 Lifetime Sport Achievement Award.
"Presenting the Lifetime Sport Achievement Award to Jacky Ickx means paying tribute to much more than an exceptional record. It is about celebrating a unique career that spans generations and has shaped the history of motorsport.
"His passion, versatility and aura make him a truly unique champion, whose influence goes far beyond the circuits," said Marine Picoulet, executive director of the Sportel Awards.