Bay of Plenty's Peter Burling, Blair Tuke, Lisa Carrington, Danny Lee and Kane Williamson have been named as part of the 24 finalists in the 53rd Halberg Awards.
The Halberg Disability Sport Foundation announced the finalists for six categories at the awards – the nation's pre-eminent event to honour and celebrate sporting excellence by New Zealand teams and athletes in 2015.
Lisa Carrington is one of this year's Halberg Awards finalists. Photo: File.
Fifteen different sports feature in the shortlist with cricket and rugby providing the most finalists, with three apiece.
Sixteen of the 24 finalists are in contention for the supreme Halberg Award - the country's highest accolade for sporting excellence.
The finalists in the Sportsman, Sportswoman, Disabled Sportsperson and Team of the Year categories are all eligible for the top award.
'The finalists all achieved outstanding success on the world stage in 2015 and we look forward to celebrating and honouring them at the awards ceremony next month,” says Shelley McMeeken, Halberg Disability Sport Foundation chief executive.
Supreme Halberg Award holders Hamish Bond and Eric Murray are in line to defend the top honour again.
The Men's Pair is shortlisted for the Microsoft Surface Team of the Year against two other world title holders; the All Blacks and Men's 49er crew of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke.
The BLACKCAPS – New Zealand's first men's team to reach the Cricket World Cup final – round out the category.
The High Performance Sport New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year will again be closely contested with 2014 winner and world number one golfer Lydia Ko shortlisted alongside road cycling world champion Linda Villumsen, swimmer Lauren Boyle who produced two silver medals at the FINA World Championships and double world champion canoeist Lisa Carrington.
World Rugby Player of the Year Daniel Carter is a finalist for the High Performance Sport New Zealand Sportsman of the Year along with golfer Danny Lee, who won the Greenbrier Classic on the US PGA Tour and was selected for the Presidents Cup Team.
IndyCar Series winner Scott Dixon and BLACKCAP Kane Williamson who was named the world number one test batsman in December also make the shortlist.
The finalists were selected by the Halberg Awards judges of former athletes, coaches and sports journalists who reviewed 63 nominations submitted for the six categories.
The winners will be presented at the 53rd Halberg Awards on Thursday, February 18, at Vector Arena in Auckland and televised live on SKY SPORT.
Ten awards are presented on the night with other categories including the Radio Sport Sporting Moment (public vote category), Sport New Zealand Leadership Award, Lifetime Achievement Award as well as inductees into the Sports Hall of Fame.
1 comment
global only
Posted on 09-01-2016 12:54 | By Captain Sensible
Excelling at a sport like rugby which few countries take seriously should not be enough to win any awards. These awards should only go to participants of sports that are truly global, and rugby is not, and never will be, global.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.