No awards prospects for Tabitha, Temwa

The Chinese women’s elite league will not hold its annual awards for last season due to Covid-19.

Malawi women’s national football team captain Tabitha Chawinga dominated the awards in the previous two seasons while starring for former champions Jiangsu, including Player of the Year, Golden Boot Award and Chinese Cup Outstanding Player.

In an interview on Monday, Tabitha said they have been informed that the awards will not be held this year.

She said: “There is nothing one can do about it considering the situation. We just have to accept.”

On whether she stood a chance to retain the accolades, the 24-year-old forward said: “I am not sure because there are several factors that they look at, suffice to say I did not retain the league’s golden boot and there were other outstanding players such as Temwa and [Zambian] Barbra Banda.

“So, I think it could have been tight, but those two would have had an edge.”

Temwa helped Wuhan to win the league title in her debut season and also finished as runner-up top scorer to Banda, whose team Shenghai Shengli, finished third.

Tabitha’s former team Jiangsu finished second.

On her part, Temwa said she did not focus on individual glory.

“Helping my team to win the league for the first time in only my debut season was my priority,” she said.