The Best Men of 2004

"Men of today are under increasing pressure to be good at everything they do," commented Men's Health editor, Jason Brown. "It's no longer just about being successful in business it's about being able to maintain a balance in every aspect of life. The Best Man awards are about recognising these great role models."

Men's Health magazine put their readers to the test by asking them to nominate their choice of finalists across seven categories including Sport, Business, Science & Technology, Arts & Culture, Public Service, and Media, as well as selecting a Men's Health overall Pioneer.

The overall winners were:

1. SPORT: Ernst Van Dyk
2. BUSINESS: Adrian Gore
3. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: Mark Shuttleworth
4. ARTS & CULTURE: Johnny Clegg
5. PUBLIC SERVICE: Ian Scher
6. MEDIA: Tim Modise
7. OVERALL PIONEER: Mark Shuttleworth, 'as the man who defies convention and whose convictions have made him a pioneer in his field. An individual who's vision has changed the way we live and has moved the boundaries for others to follow'.

Men's Health Best Man is set to become an annual event and South Africa's most significant awards ceremony celebrating the achievements of today's men.

The overall winners will also each be featured in the July issue of Men's Health- on sale from 15 June. Sponsors included: Edgars, Sanlam, Aramis Life and Breitling.