SPORTS AWARDS - Sam's spirit takes her to the top

IT was probably Sam Warriner's attitude as much as her achievements this year that saw her win the top award at the New Zealand Refining Company Northland Sports Awards on Friday.
In what appeared to be an extremely even contest for Sportsperson of the Year, Warriner's efforts after a disappointing Olympic campaign must have been what swayed the judges.
Warriner finished 16th in the triathlon in Beijing and, despite her disappointment, she decided to continue the 2008 World Cup series.
"I had hit rock bottom at the Olympics. I was devastated. I wanted the earth to swallow me up, but I knew there was more in me and I could do better, so I recycled my goals and proved I could," she said.
It took a big effort from the 37-year-old former Whangarei Girls' High School teacher to wrap up the World Cup series with a win in the final round in Cancun, Mexico, a month ago.
"I was proud of the way I finished the year. It took a lot to get out of that hole, and a lot of that was about the process I used to turn things around and went on to win that last World Cup race."
The Sportsperson of the Year leaves this week for Spain to pick up another award, the ITU World Cup Trophy, before readying herself for another year of top-level competition in 2009.
"I obviously want to go back and defend my No.1 spot, and the International Triathlon Union has started a new league this year that will be known as the Golden League," she said.
Pace bowler Tim Southee was the other big winner at Kensington Stadium on Friday, picking up the Sportsman of the Year title and the Garry Frew Memorial junior sportsperson prize.
Southee had pressing business to attend to at the Gabba in Brisbane and his sister Jane accepted his awards on his behalf.
The three annual inductees for the Northland Sporting Hall of Fame were former Silver Ferns player and coach Lyn Gunson, equestrian Olympic gold medallist Blyth Tait and champion woodchopper Innes Anderson.
New Zealand Maori rugby coach Donny Stevenson was named as Coach of the Year, while the Team of the Year went to Kensington Women's Fours.
International hockey umpire Melanie Oakden won the Umpire of the Year prize with tennis administrator Lyn Ferguson taking out the Administrator of the Year prize.
Athlete Michael Gowing was named as the Masters Sportsperson of the Year while netball and tennis stalwart Olly Batger was recognised for her service to sport.
CODE AWARDS
Archery: Female: Lisa Ferris; Male: Trevor Irvine. Athletics: Female: Ady Ngawati; Male: Ian Calder. Badminton: Female: Michelle Nuttall; Male: Aaron Spence. Basketball: Female: Reannon Saddler and Sophie Tua; Male: Kelly Wheto. Boccia: Female: Michelle Batchelor; Male: Scott Burdett. Bowls: Female: Manu Timoti; Male: Alan Rakich. Cricket: Tim Southee Cycling: Female: Fiona Southorn; Male: Ben Evans. Equestrian: Vicki Wilson Golf: Caroline Bon Gymnastics: Fiona Wilson Hockey: Female: Anna Thorpe; Male: Sam Webb. Indoor Bowls: Female: Lyn Brittain; Male: John Teirney. Karate: Travis Butler Netball: Elsa Brown Parafed: Female: Fiona Southorn; Male: Cameron Leslie. Powerlifting: Female: Jaari Murray; Male: Stan Day. Rowing: Rebecca Baker Rugby: Rene Ranger Soccer: Female: Hannah Wilkinson; Male: Leon Taylor. Squash: Female: Sacha Pou Tito; Male: Tate Matson. Surf Lifesaving: Dylan French Surfing: Paco Divers Swimming: Female: Ashley Masters; Male: Mark Cooper. Taekwon-Do: Female: Amy Reeder; Male: Riki Lum. Tennis: Bruce Mackintosh Triathlon: Female: Sam Warriner; Male: Lee Greer. Woodchopping: Jason Semenoff Yachting: Female: Keziah Deverell; Male: Andrew Murdoch. Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Tim Southee
MAIN AWARDS
Sportsman of the Year: Tim Southee Sportswoman of the Year: Sam Warriner Team of the Year: Kensington Womens Fours Coach of the Year: Donny Stevenson Referee/Umpire of the Year: Melanie Oakden Administrator of the Year: Lyn Ferguson Masters Sportsperson of the Year: Michael Gowing Service to Sport: Olly Batger Sportsperson of the Year: Sam Warriner