Sport Thought: Conbrio Northland Sports Awards finalists named

Kaitāia’s Krystal Murray is a finalist for Sportswoman of the Year. Photo / Getty Images

OPINION:

Northland’s most outstanding sportspeople will be acknowledged for their sporting achievements when the 2022 Conbrio Northland Sports Awards are presented virtually online on Wednesday, March 22.

Twelve sporting codes nominated 28 people for the region’s premier sports awards, with 20 finalists recently announced after being selected by the judging panel.

The achievements being recognised are reflective of the timeframe between October 1, 2021 and October 30, 2022, with Northland’s Regional Sports Organisations or National Sports Organisations being asked to nominate their top Northland female, male and junior athletes and their top team, along with those who have given outstanding long service to their sport.

The winners of the Fireco Sportswoman Award, Fireco Sportsman Award and the Team of the Year Award are then eligible for the overall Conbrio Supreme Award. Three Northland sportspeople will also be inducted into the Northland Legends of Sport on the night.

A feature of the finalist list is the prominence of the relatively minor sports of waka ama and lawn bowls. Waka ama features in the Team, Sportsman (x2) and Service to Sport awards, while lawn bowls has finalists in the Team (x2), Sportswoman and Sportsman awards.

Tupuria King is a finalist for Sportsman of the Year. Photo / NZME

The Community Impact Award, supported by Pak’nSave Whangarei, will also be presented, showcasing some of the amazing play, active recreation and sporting initiatives occurring around Northland. The purpose of the Community Impact Award is to identify, celebrate, promote and encourage collaborative community projects which have a positive impact in and on their communities through play, active recreation and sport. There have been nine wonderful nominations which will be highlighted on the night.

The three inductees into the Northland Legends of Sport will join 32 previous Northland sportspeople who have represented Northland and New Zealand with distinction on the world sporting stage.

The Conbrio Northland Sports Awards will be held on Wednesday, March 22, starting at 7.30pm on the Sport Northland Facebook page.

A full list of the finalists follows:

Team of the Year

Kensington Women’s Champion Fours - Lawn Bowls

Onerahi Men’s Fours - Lawn Bowls

Herberts on Tour - Waka Ama

Brian Maunsell Service to Sport

Brian Johnston and Peter Crawford - Cricket

Vicki Gribble - Hockey

Anna Pospisil (posthumous) - Waka Ama

Garry Frew Memorial Junior Sportsperson of the Year

Hayden Ganley - Hockey

Kyren Andrew - Para-cycling

Toby Bell - Rugby

Daniel Hammond -Tennis

Emily Dainty - Trampoline

Fireco Sportswoman of the Year

Lani Daniels - Boxing

Patricia Murray - Lawn Bowls

Krystal Murray - Rugby

Fireco Sportsman of the Year

Tu Kaha Cooper - Basketball

Mason Reed - Clay Target Shooting

Tim Southee - Cricket

Dean McMurchy - Lawn Bowls

Jason Reti - Waka Ama

Tupuria King - Waka Ama