AWARDS - 'Stunned' Warriner races to first place at awards

Triathlete Samantha Warriner's surprise was apparent as she was named as the Sportsperson of the Year for the second successive year at the New Zealand Refining Company Northland Sports Awards at Kensington Stadium last night.
"I was absolutely stunned," she said. "The calibre of the people here tonight was fantastic, I thought Cameron Leslie would win with (his) Olympic gold."
Warriner was overwhelmed to be called up onto the stage again and said the award meant more to her this year than in 2007.
"I had the biggest disappointment of my whole career at the Olympics and unfortunately that was broadcast everywhere and that might have been the only race that people saw me in and that wasn't the best of me," she said.
"So it was a great way for me to end my year with my peers and supporters all here together."
Warriner bounced back after finishing 16th at the Olympics to finish the year as the No1-ranked female triathlete in the world, achieving six out of seven podium finishes in World Cup races including a bronze medal at the World Championships.
It was one of the hardest contests to pick in recent years with several athletes in line for the top award.
Many people, including Warriner, expected paralympic gold medallist Leslie to win. The 18-year-old gained a national profile for winning gold in the pool at the Paralympics in Beijing while smashing a world record at the same time.
Blackcaps paceman Tim Southee was another contender. The Waiotira 19-year-old won the Sportsman of the Year title and he was also named as the Garry Frew Memorial Junior Sportsperson of the Year.
He took five wickets on test debut in Napier earlier this year before turning a test series defeat into a victory in the one-day series and being named as the player of the series. He was later recognised as the New Zealand Cricket Almanack's joint winner of the player of the year, along with Brendon McCullum.
Kerikeri sailor Andrew Murdoch was another genuine chance after narrowly missing out on an Olympic medal and finishing the year as the world's No2-ranked Laser sailor.
Lyn Gunson, Innes Anderson and Blyth Tait were this year's inductees into Northland's sporting hall of fame.