Paul Lewis: Halberg Awards polarise opinion

Bevan Docherty. Photo / Herald on Sunday

It's not just the casual observers who get a little discombobulated about the Halberg Awards.

The Halbergs are the country's foremost sporting awards but exist on a bit of a double-edged sword.

Comparing different sports, events, disciplines and even men and women is a hairy old concept at the best of times.

On the one hand, it provides an ideal marketing tool as the debate about whether, for instance, Valerie Vili is the athlete of the year ahead of Mahe Drysdale provides ideal fodder for the likes of talkback radio.

On the other, the concept is getting a little weary now - and this year is the time that New Zealand's sports champion of the entire decade is named.

It's all for charity and Sir Murray Halberg is a prince of a man and it's not really the done thing to have a pop at the awards.

But Kiwi triathlete Kris Gemmill expressed some frustration on his Facebook site, bemoaning the fact that champion triathlete Bevan Docherty didn't even get a nomination.

Gemmill wrote: "I must be stupid because two Olympic medals, a world championship title, a silver medal at the world championships, a Commonwealth Games silver medal and being ranked in the top 5 in the world for the past 6 years is apparently not even good enough for a nomination for NZ sports champion of the decade!! [these are Gemmill's exclamation marks, not ours]. Tough crowd, Bev."

The post brought supporting and some oblique comments from several people, including former New Zealand cricketer Iain O'Brien, Radio Sport's Rikki Swannell (she agreed with a comment that the judging panel don't do any research) and endurance coach Chris Pilone.

Docherty himself (also commenting on some byplay regarding his lack of ability as a pavlova maker) said:

"It's ok, just fuel for me to keep on going, with both the Tris and the Pavs."

Vili and Drysdale are among the nominations for champion of the decade, as are Rob Waddell, the Evers-Swindell twins, Michael Campbell, Sarah Ulmer, the Tall Blacks and the Silver Ferns.

The last four decades were won by Peter Snell (1960-69), John Walker (1970-79), Richard Hadlee (1980-89) and Danyon Loader (1990-99).

The judging panel, according to the official bumf comprises "29 media representatives, coaches and athletes who have excelled at the highest level".