Wayne van Niekerk‚ one of two reigning South African world champions‚ was rewarded for his 400m heroics with two nominations for the revamped SA Sports Awards.

But eyebrows were left raised by the omissions of his fellow medallists from Beijing — bronze-winners Anaso Jobodwana (200m) and Sunette Viljoen (javelin) — as well as distance star Caroline Wostmann‚ who captured the Two Oceans and Comrades double this year.

Tennis star Kevin Anderson might also consider himself unlucky not to have cracked the nod.

Van Niekerk is up against swimmer Chad Le Clos‚ the country’s other reigning world champion‚ in both the Sportsman and People’s Choice of the year categories.

Le Clos retained his 100m butterfly crown this year‚ but he was dethroned in the 200m race — and both his times were bettered by American legend Michael Phelps‚ who is on the comeback trail.

Downhill mountain bike racer Greg Minnaar is the third nominee in the Sportsman category while cricketer AB de Villiers‚ cyclist Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio and wheelchair tennis star Lucas Sithole are also in the running for People’s Choice.

The public will vote for the latter award‚ while the Sports Star award — for which nominations have yet to be announced — will be decided by the media.

Moolman-Pasio won the Sportswoman award last year‚ and this time around she is up against cricketer Shabnim Ismail and kayaker Bridgitte Hartley.

Hartley won the world championship bronze last year‚ but this year she failed to make the A-final.

Viljoen and Wostmann both achieved successes this year that made them surprising omissions.

On the plus side‚ the SA rowing squad received rare acknowledgement with two nominations.

Ursula Grobler and Kirsten McCann — the lightweight double sculls crew who this year became the first SA women to medal at a world championship — were named for Team of the Year alongside the Proteas test outfit and the Blitzboks sevens side.

Roger Barrow is in the mix for Coach of the year against perennial nominee Graham Hill‚ Le Clos’s mentor who has yet to win this category‚ Highveld Lions coach Geoff Toyana and former winner Holger Losch‚ who coaches wheelchair tennis.

The nominees are:

Sportsman of the Year: Greg Minnaar (cycling)‚ Chad Le Clos (swimming)‚ Wayde van Niekerk (athletics)

Sportswoman of the Year: Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (cycling)‚ Shabnim Ismail (cricket)‚ Bridgitte Hartley (canoeing)

People’s Choice of the Year: Chad Le Clos (swimming)‚ Wayde van Niekerk (athletics)‚ Lucas Sithole (wheelchair tennis)‚ Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (cycling)‚ AB de Villiers (cricket)

Newcomer of the Year: Nokwanda Hlongwane (wheelchair tennis)‚ Jayde Julius (cycling)‚ Kagiso Rabada (cricket)

Sportsman of the Year with a Disability: Lucas Sithole (wheelchair tennis)‚ Ernst van Dyk (wheelchair cycling)‚ Pieter du Prees (wheelchair athletics)

Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability: Kgothatso Montjane (wheelchair tennis)‚ Ilse Hayes (athletics)‚ Peggy de Villiers (swimming)

Team of the Year: Proteas test team (cricket)‚ lightweight women’s double sculls (rowing)‚ Springbok sevens team (rugby)

Coach of the Year: Holger Losch (wheelchair tennis)‚ Geoffrey Toyana (cricket)‚ Graham Hill (swimming)‚ Roger Barrow (rowing)

Federation of the Year: RollerSport SA‚ Cycling SA‚ Basketball SA

Sports Administrator of the Year: Virginia Mabaso (rowing)‚ Karen Losch (wheelchair tennis)‚ Tim Cornish (canoeing)

School Team of the Year: Oakdale Agricultural High School (tug of war)‚ St Johns College junior men’’s pair (rowing)‚ Hoerskool Waterkloof (chess)

Developing School Team of the Year: Iqhayiya Secondary School (rugby sevens)‚ Montshiwa Primary School (cricket)‚ Phayizani Indoor Rowing Club (rowing)

Indigenous Games Team of the Year: Limpopo drie stokkies men’’s team‚ Western Cape iintonga team‚ KwaZulu-Natal dibeke team

Recreation Body of the Year: Isiqalo — Waves 4 Change (surfing)‚ Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy (cycling)‚ Indigo Skate Camp (skateboarding)

Photographer of the Year: Gavin Barker (freelancer)‚ Veli Nhlapo (Sowetan)‚ Motshwari Mofokeng (The Star)

Sports Journalist of the Year: Bareng-Batho Kortjaas (Sunday Times)‚ Daniel Mothowagae (City Press)‚ Mbali Mokoko (Kaya FM)