Carrington among Halberg finalists

EYES ON THE PRIZE: Lisa Carrington shows the focus that has been rewarded with Olympic gold medals, world titles and now the Supreme Halberg and Sportswomen of the Year awards. Carrington’s family on her father Patrick’s side are from Gisborne. Grandfather Maurice and his brothers Eddie and Bill played rugby for Poverty Bay, with Bill and Eddie becoming Maori All Blacks. Her great-grandfather Karaitiana Carrington founded the GMC club. She is of Rongowhakaata, Ngati Porou, Te Aitanga a Mahaki and Rongomaiwahine descent. NZ Herald picture

SIXTEEN finalists from the Sportsman, Sportswoman, Team of the Year and Disabled Sportsperson categories are in line for the supreme Halberg Award — the country’s highest accolade for sporting excellence.

Finalists in the High Performance Sport New Zealand Sportsman of the Year category are Olympic rowing champion Mahe Drysdale, WBO world heavyweight boxing champion Joseph Parker and Rio bronze medallists, shot putter Tom Walsh and runner Nick Willis.

Lydia Ko is a finalist again for the strongly contested female category. Ko, who won two majors and an Olympic silver in 2016, is up against double Olympic medallist Lisa Carrington and Rio silver medallists Luuka Jones and Dame Valerie Adams.

The Disabled Sportsperson of the Year award finalists include 2015 recipient Sophie Pascoe.

The para-swimmer, who won three gold and two silver medals at the Paralympics, is up against fellow gold medallists Anna Grimaldi, Mary Fisher and Liam Malone, who won double gold and a silver in Rio.

The teams finalists include two Olympic champion crews — the men’s 49er (Peter Burling and Blair Tuke) and rowing pair (Hamish Bond and Eric Murray) — along with silver medallists in cycling’s team sprint (Eddie Dawkins, Ethan Mitchell and Sam Webster) and sailing’s 470 class (Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie).

The Buddle Findlay Coach of the Year Award finalists include All Blacks coach and World Rugby Coach of the Year Steve Hansen. Hansen is up against Hamish Willcox, who led the men’s 49er crew to Olympic success in Rio, Gordon Walker, who guided Lisa Carrington to double Rio gold, and Jeremy McColl, who directed Eliza McCartney to her first Olympics and a silver medal.

Campbell Stewart (cycling), Dylan Schmidt (trampoline), Finn Bilous (snow sports) and Maynard Peel (cycling BMX) are in the Emerging Talent section.

The winners will be announced on February 9.

— NZME