The 20-year-old swimmer from Durban caused one of the biggest upsets of the Olympics when he pipped Phelps to deny him his third consecutive gold medal in the event. 

Voted by the South African public, le Clos beat other top athletes like 2011 winner, the cricketer Hashim Amla, footballer Siyabonga Nomvethe and Olympic 800m silver medallist Caster Semenya.

Paralympic champions Oscar Pistorius and Natalie du Toit were also on the shortlist. 

Le Clos received R1 million (£72,000/$115,000/€90,000) and a new BMW3 Series for winning the award at the ceremony in the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.


"I can't tell you what an honour it is to win this award," said le Clos.

"To everybody in South Africa, thank you very much.

"You guys are incredible.

"God bless.

"It has been an incredible year for me.

"Looking back to last year, when I got the Newcomer of the Year award, I never though I would be the Sports Star of the Year."

Semenya, 21, the 2009 world 800m champion, won the Sportswoman of the Year award while cricketer Vernon Philander, who picked up 63 wickets at an average of 15.96 in 10 Test matches, collected the male award.

Pistorius, who won two gold and one silver medal at the London 2012, Paralympics won the Sportsman of the Year with a disability and Du Toit, winner of three gold and a silver at the Games, took the Sportsowoman of the Year with a disability. 

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