Hayden Wilde after winning New Zealand's first medal of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Photo / Photosport
Hayden Wilde after winning New Zealand's first medal of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Photo / Photosport
Bay of Plenty’s best sportsmen and women have been acknowledged at the region’s annual sports awards, with the man behind a top triathlete taking the top gong.
The 2022 Forsyth Barr Bay of Plenty Sports Awards were held at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre on Friday night.
The winners ofthe 13 open categories were announced and the Supreme Award finalists were chosen from six of those.
Athletics and triathlon coach Craig Kirkwood was the Supreme Award winner on the night after first taking out the coach of the year award, Sport Bay of Plenty said in a statement.
Kirkwood coaches triathlete Hayden Wilde, who won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and silver at the Commonwealth Games. Wilde was named sportsman of the year in the awards.
Craig Kirkwood running in the 2015 Mount Joggers and Walkers Half Marathon.
Kirkwood also coaches Pāpāmoa Olympian Sam Tanner, who competed in the 1500m at the Tokyo Olympic Games and 2022 Commonwealth Games.
According to Kirkwood’s coaching website, he has also competed in his own right at marathons and Ironman events worldwide.
Kayaker Lisa Carrington, who has had a successful season, was named sportswoman of the year. Carrington became New Zealand’s most successful Olympian this year. She has won a staggering six Olympic medals (five gold, one bronze).
The young sportsman and woman of the year winners were Tauranga swimmer Gus Shivnan and Rotorua mountain biker Jenna Hastings respectively, while Rotorua shot putter Lisa Adams was named disabled sportsperson of the year
Other winners included the teams and clubs Ōtūmoetai Football Club, Ōtūmoetai College girls’ squash team, Tauranga Boys’ College 1st XI football team and Commonwealth Games beach volleyball duo Sam O’Dea and Brad Fuller.
Five people were acknowledged for their service to sport and Sarah Garnett was named official of the year.
Wilde was also last night named Athlete of the Year by the Adams Academy – a high-performance sport programme he is a member of at the University of Waikato Adams Centre in Mount Maunganui, a Bay Venues statement said.
ORIX New Zealand Disabled Sportsperson of the Year
Lisa Adams - Shot put
Sport Bay of Plenty Service to Sport
Gary Waller - Eastern Bay Canoe Racing Club. Miles Hammond - Whakatane Rowing Club. Monique Eades - Tauranga Hockey Association. Ron Boyle - Tauranga AFC. Vance Shoebridge - Bay of Plenty Badminton
Volcanic Hills Team of the Year
Sam O’Dea and Brad Fuller, beach volleyball
Canon Bay of Plenty Secondary School Girls’ Team of the Year
Ōtūmoetai College Girls’ Squash Team
Bay Office Products Depot Secondary School Boys’ Team of the Year
