New Zealand Olympic gold medallists Peter Burling and Blair Tuke after their arrival at Auckland International Airport after Rio. Photo/file
New Zealand Olympic gold medallists Peter Burling and Blair Tuke after their arrival at Auckland International Airport after Rio. Photo/file
Bay of Plenty is well represented among the 24 finalists named yesterday for six categories at the 54th Halberg Awards to be presented in Auckland on February 9.
New Zealand Olympic athlete Lisa Carrington. Photo/file
Tauranga's Mahe Drysdale, Peter Burling and Luuka Jones, plus Waihi's Dylan Schmidt and Lisa Carrington, from Whakatane, have been nominated after allperforming with distinction at last year's Rio Olympics.
Gold medal rower Drysdale is up against WBO Heavyweight boxing champion Joseph Parker and bronze medallists in shot putter Tom Walsh and runner Nick Willis in the High Performance Sport New Zealand Sportsman of the Year category.
Double Olympic medallist Carrington and silver medallist Jones will contest the High Performance Sport New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year award with golfer Lydia Ko and Rio silver medallist Valerie Adams.
New Zealand trampolinist Dylan Schmidt. Photo/file
In the Team of the Year category, gold medal winning sailors Burling and partner Blair Tuke are up against three other medallists from Rio in rowers Hamish Bond and Eric Murray, Team Sprint cyclists Eddie Dawkins, Ethan Mitchell and Sam Webster, plus 470 sailors Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie.
Schmidt became New Zealand's first athlete to compete in Trampoline at the Olympics, finishing seventh.
Mahe Drysdale during early morning training on Lake Karapiro. Photo/file
He is a finalist in the SKY NEXT Emerging Talent Award up against Track Cyclist Campbell Stewart, BMX World Junior champion Maynard Peel and freeskiier Finn Bilous.
Sixteen finalists from the Disabled Sportsperson, Sportsman, Sportswoman and Team of the Year categories are all in line for the supreme Halberg Award - the country's highest accolade for sporting excellence, presented to the athlete or team whose achievement is deemed by the judges as representing excellence in sport at the highest level.
Luuka Jones of New Zealand wins Silver in the Canoe Slalom at White Water Stadium at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Photo/file
The Disabled Sportsperson of the Year finalists all won medals at the Rio Paralympics in 2015 recipient Sophie Pascoe, Anna Grimaldi, Mary Fisher and Liam Malone.
The annual Halberg Awards are the major fundraiser for the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation, the charity set up by Olympic champion Sir Murray Halberg (ONZ) to enhance the lives of physically disabled New Zealanders.
Full list of finalists for the 54th Halberg Awards:
High Performance Sport New Zealand Sportsman of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award) Joseph Parker (Boxing), Mahe Drysdale (Rowing), Nick Willis (Athletics) Tom Walsh (Athletics)
High Performance Sport New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award Lisa Carrington (Canoeing), Luuka Jones (Canoeing), Lydia Ko (Golf), Valerie Adams (Athletics)
Disabled Sportsperson of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award) Anna Grimaldi (Para-Athletics), Liam Malone (Para-Athletics), Mary Fisher (Para-Swimming), Sophie Pascoe (Para-Swimming)
Team of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award) Men's 49er - Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (Yachting), Men's Pair - Hamish Bond and Eric Murray (Rowing), Team Sprint - Eddie Dawkins, Ethan Mitchell and Sam Webster (Cycling), Women's 470 - Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie (Yachting)
Buddle Findlay Coach of the Year Gordon Walker (Canoeing), Hamish Willcox (Yachting), Jeremy McColl (Athletics), Steve Hansen (Rugby)
SKY NEXT Emerging Talent Campbell Stewart (Cycling), Dylan Schmidt (Trampoline), Finn Bilous (Snow Sports), Maynard Peel (Cycling BMX)
