Winners Dylan Schmidt and Eliza McCartney. Pictures / Richard Spranger
King's trampolinist Dylan Schmidt and Takapuna Grammar pole vaulter Eliza McCartney are the 2014 ASB Young Sportspeople of the Year.
The pair are the best in the land (at any level) in their respective disciplines.
Schmidt has won the ASB gymsports award three times in a row now, and held off other overall finalists Tall Black and Breaker Tai Wynyard of Rangitoto, hockey player Richmond Lum of St Kentigern, league's Erin Clark of Manurewa, rugby's Sam Nock of St Kentigern, touch gun Rieko Ioane of Auckland Grammar, and multisporter Dan Hoy of Westlake Boys' High.
This year he won gold in the Youth Olympics and the Auckland and national schools championships. He is in line to represent New Zealand at the 2016 Rio Olympics if his career keeps tracking in an upward curve.
McCartney is the defending New Zealand schools pole vault champion and won a bronze medal at the IAAF world youth championships. She holds all the New Zealand female pole vault records from junior to senior. She won the girls' athletics category last year.
Team NZ skipper Dean Barker, an old boy of Westlake Boys' High, was the guest of honour at the awards night, held at Eden Park last Thursday. It was a celebration of some top young talent, as well as an opportunity for many school principals to catch up in a more relaxed setting.
Winners
Athletics (boys): Sam Ulufonua (Auckland Grammar)
Athletics (girls): Eliza McCartney (Takapuna Grammar)
Badminton (boys): Niccolo Tagle (Westlake BHS)
Basketball (boys): Tai Wynyard (Rangitoto)
Basketball (girls): Gabriella Fotu (Rangitoto)
Cricket (boys): Glenn Phillips (Sacred Heart)
Cricket (girls): Natasha van Tilburg (Avondale)
Cycling (boys): Harry Elworthy (Takapuna Grammar)
Cycling (girls): Bryony Botha (Rangitoto)
Distance running (boys): Sam Pendreigh (St Peter's)
Distance running (girls): Isabella Richards (St Kentigern)
Equestrian eventing (girls): Georgina Llewellyn (St Cuthbert's)
Football (boys): Connor Probert (Sacred Heart)
Football (girls): Deven Jackson (MAGS)
Golf (boys): Tadhg Campbell (Massey)
Golf (girls): Wen Yung Keh (Botany Downs)
Gymsports (boys): Dylan Schmidt (King's)
Gymsports (girls): Olivia Gillott (Pukekohe)
Hockey (boys): Richmond Lum (St Kentigern)
Hockey (girls): Isla Bint (St Cuthbert's)
Lacrosse (girls): Victoria Crisford (EGGS)
Lawn bowls (boys): Aiden Takarua (St Peter's)
Lawn bowls (girls): Mackenzie Blucher (St Dominic's)
Mountain biking (boys); Jack Fisher (Auckland Grammar)
Mountain biking (girls): Jemma Manchester (Howick)
Multisport (boys): Dan Hoy (Westlake BHS)
Multisport (girls): Rose Dillon (Diocesan)
Netball (girls): Maia Wilson (MAGS)
Orienteering (boys): Tommy Hayes (Auckland Grammar)
Orienteering (girls): Alice Tilley (Diocesan)
Rowing (boys): Matt Wylie (Auckland Grammar)
Rowing (girls): Jessica Remmington (Westlake GHS)
Rugby league (boys): Erin Clark (Manurewa)
Rugby union (boys): Sam Nock (St Kentigern)
Rugby union (girls): Kiritapu Demant (EGGS)
Softball (boys): Cole Evans (MAGS)
Softball (girls): Allison Mohi (Aorere)
Squash (boys): Rafa Yam (Westlake BHS)
Squash (girls): Eleanor Epke (EGGS)
Swimming (boys): Jacob Garrod (Rangitoto)
Swimming (girls): Gabrielle Fa'amausili (Avondale)
Table tennis (boys): Victor Ma (Westlake BHS)
Table tennis (girls): Grace Huo (Macleans)
Tennis (boys): Jack Heslin (Sacred Heart)
Tennis (girls): Rosie Cheng (Westlake GHS)
Touch (boys): Rieko Ioane (Auckland Grammar)
Touch (girls): Maia Jean Watene (St Kentigern)
Underwater hockey (boys): Joel Samuel (Glendowie)
Underwater hockey (girls): Rebecca Gatland (EGGS)
Volleyball (boys): Iosefatu Lafaele (De La Salle)
Volleyball (girls): Annalise Vukets (Westlake GHS)
Water polo (boys): James McLean (Rangitoto)
Water polo (girls): Annabel Harman (Diocesan)
Wrestling (boys): Douglas Lloyd (Dilworth)
Wrestling (girls): Ruth Minturn (Avondale)
Yachting (boys): Markus Somerville (Takapuna Grammar)
Allrounders
Rebekah Bradley (EGGS): swimming, athletics, triathlon
Sophie Bond (Rangitoto): Basketball, netball, orienteering
Christina Oscar (St Kentigern): netball, cricket, touch
Maia Jean Watene (St Kentigern): basketball, touch, netball, football
Sarah Doyle (Kristin): athletics, netball, water polo
Danyon Morgan-Puterangi (Westlake BHS): touch, tennis, athletics, rugby
Leo Roper (Macleans): triathlon, distance running, athletics
Service to secondary school sport
David Wadams (Auckland Grammar): cricket
Bruce Ritchie (Massey): rugby, cricket
Puma sports educator of the year
Julie Wharton (Southern Cross)
Student coach of the year
Duke Joseph (Waitakere)
International award
Liam Stone (Albany): diving
Brittany Robertson (Diocesan): Gymsports
Athlete with a disability
Tayla Clement (Westlake GHS): swimming