Herald writer wins sports journalist of the year award

Sport journalist of the year Dylan Cleaver. Photo / Natalie Slade

Senior Herald and NZME writer Dylan Cleaver is New Zealand's sports journalist of the year.

Cleaver claimed the top award in three categories and shared another tonight to win the supreme title at the Sport New Zealand Sir Terry McLean National Sports Journalism Awards dinner in Auckland.

His series on the impact of dementia on rugby players, was accompanied by other equally newsworthy and well-researched pieces on a range of sporting topics enabling him to scoop the pool.

The other finalists were Fairfax journalist Mark Reason and TVNZ senior journalist Abby Wilson. Herald and NZME journalist Dana Johannsen was awarded the trophy for the best single story of the year, for her piece on the split between New Zealand and Australian netball.

The NZ Herald DJ Cameron Young Journalist Award was won by Raniera Harrison of Maori Television. Two new awards in the multi-media category, went to Andrew Alderson of NZME and the other was shared by NZME photographer Brett Phibbs and Cleaver.

Wilson took out the Award for Best Television, while Glen Larmer of Radio Trackside won the Best Radio award.

The Sport New Zealand Lifetime Contribution to Sport through Journalism Award was awarded to Canterbury's radio and television broadcaster and commentator, double New Zealand international sportswoman Lesley Murdoch.

In the photography section, the best portfolio category was won by Marty Melville, the best community/adventure category by Simon Watts and the best photograph - of two young people playing "ripper rugby" - was captured by Chris Symes.

The Sir John Wells Sport New Zealand Journalism Scholarships were awarded this year to Niall Anderson of the NZ Herald and Wepiha Te Kanawa from Maori Television. The scholarship provides two young journalists the opportunity to spend time in Wellington and Auckland with key sports leaders and organisations to gain a wider understanding of sports governance in New Zealand.

Christopher Rieve of the Taranaki Daily News was selected as the Best Provincial Sports Journalist, while the Garry Frew Memorial Trophy for Outstanding Contribution to Provincial Sports Journalism was given to motor sport commentator Brian Kelly.

Freelance journalist Margot Butcher and veteran Herald journalist Wynne Gray were made life members.