Olympic winners dominate Halberg Awards finalists

The accolades continue for New Zealand's six Olympic medallists, who are among the finalists in this year's Halberg Awards.

Following their inclusion in the New Year's honours list Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell, Sarah Ulmer, Hamish Carter, Bevan Docherty and Ben Fouhy have all been named as finalists in the 2004 Say When Halberg Awards.

Competitors from 10 sports are listed among the 12 finalists representing rowing, cycling, bowls, mountain biking, aerobics, triathlon, rugby, softball, kayaking and surf lifesaving.

The awards ceremony will be held in Auckland on February 24.

The Evers-Swindell are finalists for the fourth consecutive year in the team of the year category. Unbeaten since 2002 in the double sculls, the Cambridge twins won golden glory in last year's Olympics.

Other finalists in the team of the year category are the Black Sox, who became the first team in history to win three consecutive world softball titles when they beat Canada in Christchurch last year, the New Zealand Sevens team, winners of the International Sevens series for the fifth time, and world bowls pair champions Sharon Sims and Jo Edwards.

Triathletes Carter and Docherty feature in the sportsman of the year category. They took gold and silver medals in last year's Olympics. Docherty is also the reigning world champion. Joining the pair are kayaker Ben Fouhy, who won the silver medal in the K1 1000m event in Athens, and Greg Henderson, who finished fourth in Athens and won the scratch race at last year's world championships.

In the sportswoman of the year category cyclist Ulmer leads, having won gold medal in the Individual Pursuit at last year's world championships and Olympic Games. She also obliterated the world record twice.

The other three finalists are Rachael Anderson, winner of the women's surf race at the 2004 Rescue World Life Saving Championships, Angela McMillan, winner of the individual title at the 2004 World Aerobic Championships, and Vanessa Quin, who clinched the women's downhill title in the Mountain Bike World Championships.

The coach of the year category is hotly contested with Brendan Cameron, who coached Ulmer to her world championship and Olympic gold medals, Dick Tonks, coach of the Evers-Swindell sisters, Black Sox coach Don Tricker and Chris Pilone, who coached athletes Carter, Nathan Richmond and Dale Warrender in Athens.

Voting for the awards is carried out by an academy of 26 comprised of coaches, former athletes and media representatives.

Award finalists

Team of the Year

Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell, rowing
Black Sox, softball
Sharon Sims and Jo Edwards, bowls,
Sevens rugby team

Sportsman of the Year

Hamish Carter, triathlon
Bevan Docherty, triathlon
Ben Fouhy, kayaking
Greg Henderson, cycling

Sportswoman of the year

Sarah Ulmer, cycling
Angela McMillan, aerobics
Rachael Anderson, surf lifesaving
Vanessa Quin, mountain biking

Coach of the Year

Don Tricker, softball
Dick Tonks, rowing
Chris Pilone, triathlon/marathon
Brendan Cameron, cycling.