Swimmer Erika Fairweather wins supreme Māori Sports Award

Erika Fairweather is the 2023 Māori Sportsperson of the Year. Photo / Photosport

Erika Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu) has been named Māori Sportsperson of the Year at the 2023 Māori Sports Awards in Mount Maunganui.

The 19-year-old from Dunedin was also recognised as Junior Māori Sportswoman at Saturday’s awards night.

In July, Fairweather’s stunning bronze medal-winning performance at the world championships in Fukuoka had her become only the fifth woman in history to go under four minutes for the 400m freestyle, and just the sixth New Zealander to medal at a world championships.

Fairweather has qualified for three events at February’s world championships in Doha, the women’s 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle, in what has been a phenomenal season.

Five-time Olympic gold medalist Dame Lisa Carrington (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou) was named Senior Māori Sportswoman for her canoeing prowess, while rugby league star James Fisher-Harris (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Tainui) took home the award for Senior Māori Sportsman.

2023 Māori Sports Awards scholarship recipients and winners are:

MĀORI EDUCATION TRUST SCHOLARSHIP

Jayda Maniapoto (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto), Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University, Manawatū — rugby, rugby sevens, rugby league, touch

SKILLS ACTIVE MĀORI SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP

Reece Cobb (Waikato, Tainui), Tauranga — gymnastics

TE TOI HUAREWA – MĀORI PARA ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Cameron Leslie (Ngāpuhi), Whangārei — para-swimming

MĀUI TIKITIKI-Ā-TARANGA – MĀORI SPORTS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR

Titia Graham (Ngāi Tūhoe), Hamilton — rugby league

TE ARATIATIA – MĀORI SPORTS UMPIRE/REFEREE OF THE YEAR

Ben O’Keeffe won the award for Māori Sports Umpire/Referee of the Year. Photo / Getty Images

Ben O’Keeffe (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua), Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland — rugby

TE MARU Ō TŪMATAUENGA – MĀORI SPORTS COACH OF THE YEAR

Clayton McMillan (Ngāti Rangi), Kirikiriroa-Hamilton — rugby

NGĀ IKA Ā WHIRO – MĀORI SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR

Aotearoa Māori Women’s Fours team — lawn bowls

TE PIKINGA O TĀWHAKI – MĀORI WORLD CHAMPION TEAM

Aotearoa Wāhine Junior 16 team (V6), Tūranganui-a-Kiwa-Gisborne — waka ama

TE PIKINGA O TĀWHAKI – INDIVIDUAL MĀORI WORLD CHAMPIONS

Marea Mea Motu (Te Rarawa), Whangārei — boxing

Te Arani Moana (Lani) Daniels (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine), Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland — boxing

Sam Gaze (Te Atiawa), Kemureti-Cambridge — mountain bike cross-country

Laquiesha Clifford (Ngāpuhi), Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland — 8 ball pool

Tuhoto Ariki Pene (Te Arawa), Rotorua — mountain biking

Hinekahukura Brooking (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Tūranganui-a-Kiwa-Gisborne — waka ama

TE TAMĀHINE-Ā-PAPATŪĀNUKU – JUNIOR MĀORI SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

Erika Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu), Ōtepoti-Dunedin — swimming

TE TAMA-Ā-RANGINUI – JUNIOR MĀORI SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

David (Davey) Motu (Te Rarawa), Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland — lawn bowls

HINEAHUONE – SENIOR MĀORI SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

Dame Lisa Carrington DNZM (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou), North Harbour — canoe racing

TE TAMA-Ā-TANENUIĀRANGI – SENIOR MĀORI SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR

James Fisher-Harris (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Tainui), Ahitereiria-Australia — rugby league

RONGOMARAEROA – ALBIE PRYOR MEMORIAL MĀORI SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR

Erika Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu), Ōtepoti-Dunedin — swimming