Maori Sports Awards 2012: Lisa Carrington takes top award

Lisa Carrington took the supreme award at tonight's 2012 Maori Sports Awards.

The Ohope Beach paddler, New Zealand's first Olympic gold medal winner in women's sprint canoeing, won the supreme Albie Pryor Memorial Sports Person of the Year award at the ceremony in Auckland tonight.

lang="EN-US" style='line-height: 150%; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>Carrington (Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki)  wrote her name into the history books as the first winner of the women's K1 200m title.

Others recognised tonight included hockey players Andy Hayward and Gemma Flynn of Te Arawa, mountain biker Karen Hanlen (Ngati Awa, Te Arawa), athlete Peter Martin (Te Arawa), soccer player Kristy Hill (Te Arawa, Ngati Whatua, Ngapuhi), kayaker Sam Sutton (Ngati Tuwharetoa),  and George Thomas (Te Arawa, Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Awa) for waka ama.

Shearing's Mavis Mullins MNZM (Rangitane, Te Ati Haunui-a-Paparangi, Te Arawa) was Maori sports administrator of the year.

The 2012 Maori Sports Awards winners are: