Hawke’s Bay Sports Awards finalists announced - who’s your pick for the Supreme award?

Gala night - the Hawke's Bay Sports Awards at Pettigrew Green Arena. Photo / NZME

Rising international athletics prospect George Beamish is up against another high-class field on the home patch as a finalist in the 2023 Forsyth Barr Hawke’s Bay Sport and Recreation Awards.

All three other finalists in the Senior Sportsperson of the Year category are former winners, two of them being, six times between them, named the Hawke’s Bay Supreme award – the Sportsperson of the Year – the modern variation of the Hawke’s Bay Sportsman of the Year Award which dates back to the first presentation in 1966, to amateur golfer Stuart Jones.

World and Olympics champion rower Emma Twigg claimed the Supreme award in 2005, 2007 and last year. Kayaker Aimee Fisher won in 2016, 2018 and 2020.

A young George Beamish before heading off to begin his university and running career in the United States. He's now an Olympic Games prospect and a Hawke's Bay Sports Awards finalist.

Olympic champion rower Tom Mackintosh won the Senior Sportsperson award in 2021, when Team of the Year, the Hawke’s Bay Magpies, became the first team to take the top honour.

It’s 25 years since a track and field athlete won the top award, the success of 1500 metres runner and miler Hamish Christensen in 1998, but US-based Beamish’s rise comes in the emergence of several New Zealand track and field prospects now being touted as medal prospects at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Turning 27 just five days before the October 29 awards in the Pettigrew Green Arena, Beamish took his biggest step forward in the 3000 metres steeplechase in July when he broke a New Zealand record that had stood for 39 years, and last month when he his fifth at the World Championships in Hungary was the best placing result by a New Zealander in the 40 years since the championships were first held.

Twigg, Fisher, Mackintosh and Beamish are among 52 finalists across 13 categories of the awards, from 80 nominations which include some Supreme award prospects in the other categories.

The number of nominations was down on recent years, but Sport Hawke’s Bay general manager Ryan Hambleton said, “With the impact Covid-19, and more recently Cyclone Gabrielle, has had on our sport and active recreation landscape, we have again produced some outstanding finalists for this year’s awards.”

The winners of the Disabled, Master, Junior and Senior Sportsperson and Junior and Senior Team of the Year all go forward as finalists for the Supreme award, the Forsyth Barr Hawke’s Bay Sportsperson of the Year.

Hambleton said the awards recognise both excellence in sport and active recreation from across the region and those who are creating quality physical activity opportunities for all, and the “Activating Te Matau a Māui” and “Community Initiative of the Year” categories have seven finalists in total.

“It’s great to see so many from the Hawke’s Bay community taking this opportunity to recognise and celebrate successes in their sport and acknowledge those who work so hard to make sport happen,” he said.

“We also say thanks to the amazing sponsors who continue to support the sports sector to help make this night happen.”

Finalist in the 2023 Forsyth Bar Hawke’s Bay Sports and Recreation Awards, to be presented on October 29 at the Pettigrew Green Arena, Taradale:

Volunteer of the Year: Julie Shaw (netball), Mark Setford (rugby and cricket), Nichola Heremaia (squash), Ross Webb (rowing).

Community Initiative of the Year: Flemington Mud Run (fun run), Hawke’s Bay Rowing Club (rowing), Heretaunga Women’s Centre Tri (triathlon), Walking Netball (netball).

Official of the Year: Dan Waenga (rugby), Nick Hogan (rugby), Sasha Nicholson (basketball).

Coach of the Year: Andrew Henare (golf), Bruce Smith (athletics), Myka Nuku (canoe racing), Shea McAleese (hockey), Wayne Marsh (trampolining).

Grassroots Club of the Year: Eskview United Association Football Club (football), Hawke’s Bay Kayak Club (canoe racing), Porangahau Sports Club (rugby and netball), Waipukurau Lawn Tennis and Squash Club (tennis and squash).

Activating Te Matau a Maui: Central Districts Māori Cricket (cricket), Hawke’s Bay Māori Rugby - Te Matau a Māui (rugby), Te Aroha Papanui (Rugby and Rugby League for Kohine).

Master Sportsperson of the Year: Denis O’Leary (athletics), Lance Baylis (powerlifting).

Lifetime Contribution to Sport: Mike Trautvetter (rowing), Terry O’Neill (football).

Emerging Sportsperson of the Year): Aniela Apperley (cricket and indoor cricket), Blake Fryer (karate), Caleb Carlisle (swimming), Daniel Brown (canoe racing), Emma Findlay (hockey), Finn Balchin (sailing), Harry Huxford (football), Lachie Kirk (trampolining), Rylan Noome (athletic), Winston Liesebach (sailing),

Zack Swanwick (golf), Zoe Elliott (netball).

Junior Team of the Year: Hawke’s Bay Rowing Intermediate Girls Squad, Havelock North High School Senior Girls Canoe Polo Team, Napier Boys’ High School Athletics Team, Taradale High School Golf Team.

Senior Team of the Year: Hawke’s Bay Heat (American Flag), Hawke’s Bay Tui (rugby), Waipukurau Tennis and Squash Ladies F/J Grade | Squash.

Disabled Sportsperson of the Year: Guy Harrison (swimming and golf), Peter Cowan (canoe racing).

Senior Sportsperson of the Year): Aimee Fisher (canoe racing), Emma Twigg (rowing), George Beamish (athletics), Tom Mackintosh (rowing).

Forsyth Barr Supreme Award – Hawke’s Bay Sportsperson of the Year: To be announced on the night.