Erika Fairweather is the 2023 Māori Sportsperson of the Year. Photo / Photosport
Erika Fairweather is the 2023 Māori Sportsperson of the Year. Photo / Photosport
Erika Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu) has been named Māori Sportsperson of the Year at the 2023 Māori Sports Awards in Mount Maunganui.
The 19-year-old from Dunedin was also recognised as Junior Māori Sportswoman at Saturday’s awards night.
In July, Fairweather’s stunning bronze medal-winning performance at the world championships in Fukuoka hadher become only the fifth woman in history to go under four minutes for the 400m freestyle, and just the sixth New Zealander to medal at a world championships.
Fairweather has qualified for three events at February’s world championships in Doha, the women’s 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle, in what has been a phenomenal season.
Five-time Olympic gold medalist Dame Lisa Carrington (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou) was named Senior Māori Sportswoman for her canoeing prowess, while rugby league star James Fisher-Harris (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Tainui) took home the award for Senior Māori Sportsman.
