Mercy Chipasula Crowned Junior Female Sportsperson of the Year at 2025 RASA Awards

Zambian footballer Mercy Chipasula has been named the Junior Female Sportsperson of the Year at the prestigious 2025 Regional Annual Sports Awards (RASA) held on May 24 at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC).

The annual awards, hosted by the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5, celebrate sporting excellence across ten southern African nations — Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Chipasula’s recognition marks a proud moment for Zambia, with the young star being hailed as one of the country’s brightest sporting prospects. Her consistent performance, skill, and dedication to the game have set her apart in a highly competitive field of young athletes from across the region.

Zambia’s Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts, Hon. Elvis Nkandu, MP, was present at the ceremony to personally congratulate Chipasula. He praised her achievement as a testament to the growth of women’s football in Zambia and a reflection of the country’s investment in youth development through sport.

“Mercy’s win is a proud moment for our nation,” Hon. Nkandu said. “She represents the next generation of Zambian talent, and we are committed to ensuring that athletes like her continue to rise and shine on regional and global stages.”

Since its inception in 2016, RASA has become the region’s premier platform for recognizing and rewarding the outstanding contributions of athletes, coaches, administrators, volunteers, and sports journalists across AUSC Region 5.

Mercy Chipasula now joins a distinguished list of Zambian athletes who have made their mark at the awards, and her win is expected to inspire many more young girls across the country to pursue excellence in sport.