Hannah Wilkinson scores the opening goal of the Fifa Women's World Cup between New Zealand and Norway at Eden Park. Photo / Michael Craig
Sarah Cowley Ross for LockerRoom
1. The GOAT in a boat, Dame Lisa Carrington, collected her gazillionth world title (well, she won three more at the canoe sprint world championships in Germany to bring her career total to 15). But one of the highlights of the year was Carrington combining with Alicia Hoskin, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan to win the K4 500m world title – a first for a Kiwi men’s or women’s crew.
Carrington’s favoured K1 200m has been scratched from next year’s Olympics in Paris, but if she joins forces with Aimee Fisher in the K2 500m, they would surely be invincible.
2. In the 48th minute of the opening match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Football Fern Hannah Wilkinson’s strike to find the back of the net – and subsequent passionate fist pumps on the fern on her chest – was one for the books.
After a perfectly executed cross from Jacqui Hand, the Wilkinson goal resulted in a 1-0 victory over the much-favoured opponent Norway to set the tournament alight from the get-go. And it never lost its glow.
3. It turns out Kiwis DO enjoy football, the gals can bend it like Beckham, and an impact evaluation report from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said the FIFA Women’s World Cup had surpassed its expectations with a $109.5 million return for New Zealand’s economy.
4. This year has been about rebuilding for the world-champion Black Ferns. New head coach Alan Bunting and a new management team brought some fresh faces to the team as well as bringing back some who didn’t make the Rugby World Cup side. The new WXV competition showed potential but fell short in promoting itself to a New Zealand public keen to see more women’s rugby.
5. Another big year for the Olympic champion Black Ferns Sevens, who secured another World Series title. Several of the Black Fern Sevens headed to the United States to play in the new Premier Rugby Sevens competition including crowd favourites Ruby Tui and Stacey Waaka. The WNRL also attracted Sevens talent Tyler Nathan Wong and Niall Williams-Guthrie across the ditch for a code change.
It was a sad end to their year, with their extraordinary captain Sarah Hirini rupturing her ACL in the Dubai tournament and returning to New Zealand to have surgery. It’s now a race against the clock to have her fit for Paris in August. But if anyone can do it, it’s Gossie.
6. Zoe Hobbs was astounding – running 10.97s at the Sydney Track Classic in March to become the first and only woman from Oceania to break the elusive 11s barrier. She’s now a genuine shot at making the Olympic 100m Final. That is a massive, massive deal.
7. Another sprinter taking the world by storm before Paris is sprint cyclist Ellesse Andrews – gold in the keirin and bronze in the sprint at this year’s world champs in Glasgow. She may have been a surprise silver medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, but the world is watching her now.
8. Four female New Zealand rowing crews qualified for spots for Paris 2024 at the world championships in Belgrade – single sculls, double sculls, fours, and lightweight double sculls. The blitz was spearheaded by Olympic champion Emma Twigg, who will be looking to compete at her fifth Olympics.
And it was the year of the mum-back for Brooke Francis and Lucy Spoors, who made the final of the double sculls at the world champs, with their young babies in tow.
9. After winning two world championship titles in 24 hours (the C5 scratch race and the omnium), as well as three other world championship medals, Para cyclist Nicole Murray rounded out a hugely successful year named as world’s best female summer Para-athlete. She’s also using her recent ADHD diagnosis as a superpower heading into a Paralympic year.
10. The Kiwi Para athletics team gave us a promising preview in Paris – gold to shot put star Lisa Adams; gold and silver to sprinter Danielle Aitchison, and fellow medallists Anna Grimaldi and Holly Robinson set the team up nicely for next year’s Paralympics.
11. The Moana Pool continues to deliver: Dunedin’s swimming sensation Erika Fairweather had a breakout year, winning bronze at the world long course championships, multiple World Cups medals, and smashed national records. She was also named Māori Sportsperson of the Year. Another to watch in Paris.
12. When they name a sporting ground after you, you know you’ve reached icon status. White Fern Suzie Bates is well into that realm and probably should have the keys to her home city of Dunedin by now. In 2023, Bates became the highest-ever run scorer in T20 across men and women and played her 300th game for the national team.
13. Full of talent, the Tall Ferns finished fourth at the Asia Cup in Sydney, opening the door to a shot at Olympic qualifying in February 2024. In its second year, the Tauihi league attracted global talent as well as providing a pivotal pathway for our Kiwi ballers to develop.
Keep an eye out for Tall Fern star Charlisse Leger-Walker in her senior year at Washington State University – tipped to become only the second Kiwi to make it into the WNBA.
14. The wrapping up of the distinguished netball careers of Sulu Fitzpatrick and Bailey Mes – two influential figures in the game, but in different ways.
15. A Spanish kiss on the FIFA World Cup podium. WTF bro? While there’s been progress for women in sport, there’s still some appalling behaviour happening both behind closed doors and in front of global television audiences. Do better. Now.
16. New talent and new sports qualifying for the Paris Olympics in speed climber Sarah Tetzlaff and kite foiler Justina Kitchen.
Luuka Jones has qualified for her fifth Olympics, but in a new Olympic discipline the kayak cross. After a hell of a time battling long COVID-19, Jones won her first World Cup this year in the kayak cross (think ski cross but on kayaks). The 2016 Rio Olympic silver medallist is back on top.
17. A fourth world title for motocross star Courtney Duncan in Turkey, coming back from injury. Her favourite title yet, because her mum was there to witness it.
18. Going where no snowboarder in competition has gone before, 2023 X Games winner Zoi Sadowski-Synnott’s groundbreaking switch backside 1260 received a staggering 99 out of 100 in the qualifying round of the Edmonton FIS World Cup in December.
19. After a hugely disappointing fourth place at the World Cup in South Africa, the Silver Ferns bounced back at home to draw the Constellation Cup series with world champions, Australia, 2-2. Another Kiwi team in the rebuilding phase.
20. The Kiwi Ferns scored a stunning first victory over world champions, the Jillaroos, in Melbourne – breaking a seven-year drought.
21. On the Gold Coast, Tayla Bruce became just the third Kiwi woman ever to win the world bowls singles title. The teacher resigned from her job beforehand because she couldn’t get three weeks leave to play at the world tournament.22. Not to be trifled with, boxers Mea Motu and Lani Daniells collected multiple world title belts this year. Two inspirational mana wāhine who have used the sport of boxing to help turn their life trajectory around.
23. After five years our Queen, Suzanne McFadden, stepped down as LockerRoom editor. While we miss her ‘Suz-ification’ of stories and her influence, fortunately, we still have her passion and expertise for shining a light on women’s sports stories as a contributing writer.
Merryn Anderson finished her LockerRoom fellowship (sponsored by our valued friends at Sky Sport), covering a remarkable period for women’s sport and all sport in Aotearoa New Zealand. She’s grown so much in this time. And one final nod is to you, our LockerRoom supporters – ngā mihi ki a koutou. We love writing stories that would otherwise not be told. We thank you for sharing and supporting our kaupapa in 2023. And we wish you and your families a joyful festive season full of the things that fill your cup. Like sport.
This story was originally published at Newsroom.co.nz and is republished with permission.