More than 50 finalists have been announced for the 2022 Forsyth Barr Bay of Plenty Sports Awards, including rising junior stars, Commonwealth Games athletes and community sport and recreation organisations.
The 2022 awards include 14 categories ranging from coach and official of the year, innovation in sport and recreation, and disabled athlete, sportsman and sportswoman of the year, Sport Bay of Plenty said in a statement today.
Amongst the individual finalists are Commonwealth Games athlete Hayden Wilde and his coach Craig Kirkwood, fellow Eastern Bay athlete Lisa Carrington, Rotorua mountain bikers Tuhoto Ariki-Pene and Lachlan Stevens-McNab, swimmer Bailey Conlon and Tauranga-based hockey official Sarah Garnett.
Finalists in the Club of the Year category include Athletics Tauranga, who go up against BOP Climbing Club, and Judea Rugby Club. Vying for the Team of the Year award are Pāpāmoa Bulldogs rugby league, beach volleyballers Sam O'Dea and Brad Fuller, and the Tauranga Water Polo Men's Team.
In the secondary school categories, teams from Whakatāne's Trident High School, Rotorua's John Paul College and Girls' High, and Tauranga Boys' and Ōtūmoetai College are all in the running for top honours.
