Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust executive director Richard (Dick) Garratt (Ngāi Tuhoe) said Carrington was widely regarded as the greatest canoe sprint athlete of all time – not just among women.
Her career included nine Olympic medals – eight gold and one bronze across four consecutive games – and 15 world championship titles.
“Dame Lisa’s induction into Te Whare Mātātapuna o te Ao Māori in recognition of her remarkable results at both the Halberg Awards and Māori Sports Awards is testament to her extraordinary talent and unwavering self-determination as well as the exceptional guidance of her coaches and the steadfast support of her humble whānau,” Garratt said.
Finalists and honourees for the 2025 Māori Sports Awards:
TE ARATIATIA | Māori Sports Umpire/Referee of the Year
- Ben O’Keeffe (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua), Kaipara – rugby
- Paki Parkinson (Waikato Tainui), Tauranga – rugby league
- Tiana Ngawati-Anderson (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whakaue), Tauranga – rugby, rugby sevens
MĀUI TIKITIKI-Ā-TARANGA | Māori Sports Administrator of the Year
- Gordon Watson (Ngāpuhi), Auckland – football
- Harley Wall (Taranaki, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Auckland – touch rugby
- Tui Pāpuni (Ngā Pōtiki, Ngāti Whakaue), Tauranga – volleyball
TE MARU Ō TŪMATAUENGA | Māori Sports Coach of the Year
- Thomas Makea (Ngāti Kahungunu), Wellington – softball
- Marty Bourke (Waikato Tainui), Christchurch – rugby
- Michael Mayne (Ngāti Awa, Ngāpuhi), Hamilton – football
NGĀ IKA Ā WHIRO | Māori Sports Team of the Year
- Mareikura U18 Wāhine Māori Team – rugby
TE TOI HUAREWA | Māori Para Athlete of the Year
- Cameron Leslie MNZM (Ngāpuhi), Whangārei – Para swimming
TE KUNENGA KI PŪREHUROA | Massey University Scholarship
- Te Maia Sweetman (Rangitāne ki Tāmaki Nui a Rua), Palmerston North – rugby, rugby league
TOITŪ KAUPAPA MĀORI MĀTAURANGA | Māori Education Trust Scholarship
- Bailey Ngatai-Cribb (Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāti Kuia), Manawatū – touch rugby
SKILLS ACTIVE AOTEAROA | Māori Sports Awards Scholarship
- Epiha Ricky Muru-Kete (Waikato Tainui), Huntly – rugby league
TE PIKINGA O TĀWHAKI | Māori World Champions
- Dr Karlina Tongotea (Ngāphui, Ngāi Tahu, Tonga), Auckland – powerlifting
- Waikura Taiapa (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui), Katikati – jiu jitsu
TE TAMĀHINE-Ā-PAPATŪĀNUKU | Junior Māori Sportswoman of the Year
- Braxton Sorenson-McGee (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Wai), Auckland – rugby
- Waikura Taiapa (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui), Katikati – jiu jitsu
- Lexi Fyhn (Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tonga), Auckland – Crossfit
TE TAMA-Ā-RANGINUI | Junior Māori Sportsman of the Year
- Dylan Pledger (Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Dunedin – rugby
- Maia Campbell (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou), Gisborne – waka ama
- Hamiora Katu (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Waikato Tainui), Rotorua – waka ama
HINEAHUONE | Senior Māori Sportswoman of the Year
- Dr Karlina Tongotea (Ngāphui, Ngāi Tahu, Tonga), Auckland – powerlifting
- Portia Woodman-Wickliffe ONZM (Ngāpuhi), Mount Maunganui – rugby
- Ellesse Andrews MNZM (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe), Dunedin – track cycling
TE TAMA-Ā-TANENUIĀRANGI | Senior Māori Sportsman of the Year
- Reilly Makea (Ngāti Kahungunu, Muaūpoko), Wellington – softball
- Joseph Tapine (Ngāi Tūhoe), Australia – rugby league
- Logan Tipene Rogerson (Waikato Tainui), Auckland – football
TE WHARE MĀTĀTAPUNA O TE AO MĀORI | Māori Sports Hall of Fame
- Dame Lisa Carrington DNZM MNZM (Te Aitanga a Māhaki, Rongowhakaata, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tara Tokanui, Ngāti Maniapoto), North Harbour – canoe sprint
RONGOMARAEROA | Albie Pryor Memorial Māori Sports Person of the Year
- All finalists and world champions are in contention for the supreme award.
A two-hour live-to-air special was scheduled to broadcast on Whakaata Māori, its online MĀORI+ platform, and on YouTube from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on November 29.
