Caroline Dubois Crowned Athlete Of The Year at Mandela Awards
By Luis Arellano
In a ceremony rich with inspiration and significance, Caroline Dubois, the IBO World Champion, was honored with the prestigious Athlete Of The Year award by Ndileka Mandela, the eldest granddaughter of Nelson Mandela. The event, part of the 10th Annual Commonwealth Africa Summit, took place at the 180 Strand, Soho House, in celebration of International Women’s Month.
Caroline Dubois, affectionately known as ‘Sweet’ Caroline, has an impressive history in the boxing world. Her amateur career is decorated with titles including Youth Olympic Champion, World Youth Champion, and four-time European Youth Champion. She was also named SportsAid’s one-to-watch in 2018 and BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2019 before representing Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics. At just 23 years old, Dubois has already claimed the IBO World Champion title, a remarkable achievement in professional boxing.
In her heartfelt acceptance speech, Dubois said, “Thank you to Ms. Mandela for presenting me with this beautiful award. It is a testament to my achievements, but also to your achievements as a woman. Being able to make a name for yourself with such a massive surname is truly amazing.”
Dubois shared her journey, “I come from a very big boxing family. My brother is a professional boxer, and I’ve been following in his footsteps. Being the middle child of seven, I had to fight to make a name for myself. Boxing gave me the spotlight and platform to do just that.”
Recalling her early challenges, Dubois said, “When I started boxing, there weren’t many female boxers. I was told by my first coach that I was amazing and destined to be a World Champion, but he kicked me out when he found out I was a girl. That made qualifying for the Olympic games even more special for me.”
Ben Shalom, CEO of BOXXER, expressed pride in Dubois’s accomplishments. “Caroline is an inspiration and a role model to countless young girls and boys around the world. We believe she will become the first female pay-per-view star and lead women’s boxing to new heights.”
Ndileka Mandela, a prominent social activist and head of the Thembekile Mandela Foundation, presented the award. Mandela, a former ICU nurse, has shown a commitment to positive change in South Africa. Her personal journey, marked by resilience and advocacy, aligns closely with the spirit of the awards.
Speaking at the event, Mandela said, “These awards honor women who have found their voices and are narrating their own stories. My grandfather and grandmother gave me the opportunity to honor my voice. Today, we celebrate women who reach for their dreams and ensure their stories are told by them.”
In addition to Dubois, Queenie Porter was awarded Business Leader Of The Year. Porter, the Global Managing Director of WOW HYDRATE and Vice President of West Ham Women, has made significant strides in the business world. Under her leadership, WOW HYDRATE has partnered with major names like Tyson Fury and Manchester United FC. Forbes Magazine described her as ‘the businesswoman energizing the sports industry.’
Accepting her award, Porter said, “I stand as an individual, as a leader, but I must acknowledge my incredible teams at WOW HYDRATE and West Ham. Sharing this stage with remarkable women like Caroline is an honor. As Nelson Mandela famously said, ‘it always seems impossible until it is done.’ Let’s continue to be the incredible women, mothers, sisters, and leaders we are.”
The Mandela Awards were held this year to recognize excellence involving women but, recognize excellence across gender.