Lisa Carrington was superb, the Black Caps were too, but Dong Dong was robbed, and deep down we all know it. Photos / Getty and Photosport
Winston Aldworth: Ross Taylor whipping a sloppy delivery from Mohammed Shami over square leg to the boundary, completing the Black Caps' journey to the pinnacle of cricket. I love the fact that Taylor scored the winning runs, and I love the fact the big three in world cricket missed out on the sport's biggest prize. I've had the scorecard framed.
Jason Pine: Tupou Neiufi's Paralympic gold medal in the pool in Tokyo and her pure emotion on the podium afterwards as the anthem played.
Christopher Reive: I don't know if most enjoyed is the right term here, but the most memorable was the Danish football team forming a wall of bodies around teammate Christian Eriksen to protect him from the cameras after he collapsed during their first game of Euro 2020. That whole situation is one I won't soon forget.
Kate Wells: The Black Caps winning the World Test Championship. Although New Zealand had a very successful Olympic campaign, the New Zealand test cricket side takes the cake for me. It brought the entire nation together and made me very proud to be a Kiwi.
Elliott Smith: Any one of Lisa Carrington's gold medals. Complete and utter domination at the highest level and is truly our greatest Olympian. I thought the Olympics going ahead was a mistake given the host country didn't want them but remarkably they managed to go off without much of a hitch. Pure box office content by and large and Carrington from a NZ perspective was front and centre. Also, as a cardcarrying member of the Phil Mickelson fan club, him becoming the oldest winner of a major was pretty great too.
Liam Napier: The World Test Championship final. The ultimate recognition for a constantly underrated team. Two years after being duded in the drawn ODI final (I'm clearly not still salty), and on the sixth day of the test, the Black Caps humbled India to be crowned inaugural WTC champions. Special, too, that the old firm of Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson guided the Black Caps home. David Nyika's emotional cry after claiming bronze, and becoming New Zealand's first Olympic boxing medallist for 29 years, was up there, too, and the Black Ferns Sevens' moment of redemption after their Rio heartbreak.
Matt Brown: Skier Alice Robinson's victory in her final Giant Slalom race of the season at the World Cup finals in Switzerland in March. It came off the back of a difficult season where she struggled early to recapture the results of the previous year. Robinson gradually rediscovered her form with a second and then a fourth at the World Championships in Italy before her stunning end of season victory over American great Mikaela Shiffrin.
D'Arcy Waldegrave: The winning of the Mace, the coolest trophy in world sport. It was the cherry on the top of a lifelong cake I've been consuming. To be fair when I first started gobbling up test cricket in the early 80s, it was a pretty tasty treat. The cake dried up and went stale over the next few decades, but this year it transformed into the gateaux I've always dreamed it could be. Damn tasty.
Kris Shannon: This might be recency bias but it was delightful to see Sam Kerr flatten the pitch-invading drongo disrupting Chelsea's Champions League clash with Juventus. Coming days after Kerr scored twice as Chelsea won the Women's FA Cup, it showed the Australian is truly an all-round athlete. In a world full of Jarvos, we need more Sam Kerrs.
Cameron McMillan: A tie between Ross Taylor hitting the winning runs to secure the World Test Championship and the Black Ferns Sevens finally claiming Olympic gold after five years of dominating the sport (with the Fiji extra-time semifinal the most nerve-wracking watch of the year).
Aldworth: Sports people complaining about (or dodging) Covid-19 protocols and precautions. What's the matter, pal? You not enjoying the pandemic?
Pine: The incredibly short-sighted and at times nasty and vindictive commentary around Laurel Hubbard's participation at the Olympic Games.
Reive: The men's high jump final at the Olympics was a great spectacle that I almost put in the above category, but it was robbed of its climax when Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar) and Gianmarco Tamberi (Italy) agreed to share the gold medal. I maintain there might have been a bit more pushback from officials on the idea had it not preceded the men's 100m final - the Games' showpiece event - and been at risk of delaying the sprint.
Wells: Devon Conway breaking his hand after punching his bat in the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup semifinal. He's an integral part of the Black Caps batting line-up in all three formats, and they could've used some Conway magic in the T20 World Cup final and in the two tests against India.
Smith: Probably Olivia Podmore's tragic death. As has been outlined in the superb Herald piece detailing it all, she was hung out to dry by a broken system. Just completely and utterly maddening and heartbreaking.
Napier: The men's rowing eight for sheer surprise – winning the event for the first time since the 1972 Olympics. The Melbourne Cup for my $500 collect (thanks to Foxton trainer Chris Waller). Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder's trilogy that featured five knockdowns – Fury surviving two in the fourth round to finish Wilder in the 11th of an unbelievable brawl.
Brown: When the Rugby Championship was again taken away from New Zealand, the 100th test between the All Blacks and South Africa being staged in Townsville instead of Dunedin due to our border restrictions/quarantine, inability to hold major events through the pandemic. It was the final straw. New Zealand's refusal to improvise to be flexible to use common sense has been infuriating for sport in New Zealand. The inconsistency of our MIQ system became a joke.
Waldegrave: After 20 years of talking sport on the wireless, I've made the conscious decision to not get wound up about things I can't control. It's bad for my life expectancy. The Chinese toe-sucking by the IOC raises my heart rate some, the comical and continuous poor treatment of the Warriors by the NRL raises an eyebrow and the refusal of World Rugby to accept their responsibility in the concussion drama is worthy of some seething contemplation too.
Shannon: The television coverage of the Paralympics on TVNZ and Duke was woefully less than our athletes deserved. Lisa Adams, Holly Robinson and the other Kiwi medallists produced moments of sporting brilliance in Tokyo - for those viewers who were lucky enough to actually see them.
McMillan: Any TMO-referee chat and Dong Dong not getting gold in the men's trampoline (a sport I know nothing about).
Aldworth: The All Blacks are a better, more threatening side when they start test matches with Beauden Barrett on the bench.
Pine: Letting Ngani Laumape go overseas was a catastrophic failure by NZR and the All Blacks.
Reive: Brandon Smith swearing his head off on a podcast that clearly allowed cursing was simply terrific areas and he should have been applauded for showing some personality rather than chewed out. You go, Brandon.
Wells: Beauden Barrett should be the All Blacks' starting first five. The way he led the team around the park against Wales was phenomenal, and I look forward to seeing more performances like that in 2022.
Smith: The men's high jump finish at the Olympics where they both won golds was pure and utter nonsense, rather than a feelgood story. It seemed like an arbitrary cut-off to get the 100m final in a few minutes later. Think of all the sporting events (at the Olympics) where you have tiebreaks or decide the winner on the smallest margins. Imagine the number of athletes that would choose to share gold if it was offered to them.
Napier: If Grant Dalton is intent on squeezing more taxpayers' money in the ongoing saga of where the America's Cup defence will be staged, he should disclose his seven-figure salary, and perhaps take a pay cut.
Brown: What an utterly incompetent organisation Cycling NZ is. Another high profile employee leaves, sprint coach Rene Wolff. The media release simply says Cycling New Zealand is not able to answer any further questions on the issue. But they are happy to receive taxpayer funding.
Waldegrave: Ian Foster doesn't deserve the grief he has been getting from the public nor the media. The World Cup is two years away, that's when he will be judged. I still vividly remember the accusations of tedium levelled at the state of world rugby when the All Blacks were nigh on unbeatable. It's not possible to be at the top forever. Everybody calm down.
Shannon: More unvaccinated athletes should have lost their jobs. Setting aside role-model tosh, vaccinations have already proven essential in keeping games played and competitions on course. Look at the fully vaccinated Breakers who, having released Tai Webster after he refused a jab, managed to keep under control a pre-season outbreak. And now look at the Premier League where, with only 68 per cent of players double-jabbed, a new wave of cases and postponements is causing chaos.
McMillan: Three Lions (Football's Coming Home) was my favourite song of the year.
Aldworth: That win in Southampton – specifically, I'll still be talking to Indian cricket fans on Twitter about it.
Pine: 2031? What about 2081? Ajaz Patel's 10-wicket bag in Mumbai is the sort of thing that comes along so infrequently that it's instantly added to sporting folklore. His name will be permanently etched alongside Laker and Kumble and remembered forever.
Reive: It's New Zealand, so it'll be one of two things: the Black Caps winning the World Test Championship, or the All Blacks losing back-to-back tests against Ireland and France.
Wells: Lisa Carrington's golden haul at the Tokyo Olympics. We may never see another Kiwi athlete bag three gold medals in one campaign. Carrington will forever be known as 'The GOAT in the Boat'.
Smith: Simone Biles withdrawing from her Olympic events. An astounding turn of events for someone considered (and rightly still considered) the GOAT of her sport. It may just be the worldwide nudge sports need around mental health going forward.
Napier: Lisa Carrington's triple gold haul in Tokyo that took her collection to six medals (five gold) and installed her as New Zealand's most successful Olympian. With Paris 2024 on the horizon, her final medal tally is sure to further swell.
Brown: Emma Raducanu's US Open victory over another unknown teenager Leylah Fernandez. From obscurity before a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon, an 18-year-old who had never won a WTA main draw match wins three rounds of qualifying and seven main draw matches - all in straight sets - to become a tennis Grand Slam champion. It's the greatest Grand Slam triumph in my lifetime.
Waldegrave: Ajaz Patel. Simply outstanding. I doubt we'll see 10 wickets from one player in an innings again, but if we do, I hope I'm watching and it's another Kiwi. Tu meke.
Shannon: In a bid for variety, I'm going to avoid Ajaz Patel and shout out Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese recorded, quite simply, the best season in the history of baseball by a player who both hit and pitched. Not even Babe Ruth - the last true two-way success in MLB - matched Ohtani's eye-popping stats.
McMillan (who regretfully coined 'GOAT in the Boat'): I'll flip this and say what we won't be talking about. In 2031, 10-year-old children will ask their parents 'What is the America's Cup?' and will be hushed and answered 'Who told you those words? We don't talk about that anymore'. In the UK, it will be about England's lost chance to win a major football title again after failing to reach the semifinals in the four tournaments that followed Euro 2021.
Aldworth: Families in the crowd. I believe the children are our future.
Pine: Open borders. I crave a time when travel is unencumbered and athletes, teams and fans can move freely across the world again to compete in - and watch - sport at the highest level without having to worry about bubbles, MIQ and severely restricted freedoms.
Reive: Less Covid, more competing. It's a novel idea, right? But how good would it be to see our athletes able to go overseas to compete at will again - particularly in the individual sports where travel is such an essential part of the job. Here's hoping...
Wells: Women's coverage. Don't get me wrong, we're on the way up, but we have some very talented female athletes in Aotearoa and it needs to be showcased. The Cricket World Cup and Rugby World Cup are in our own backyard next year – so let's all get behind both campaigns.
Smith: A modern day approach. Formula 1 has moved itself out of the doldrums by first engaging with Netflix on Drive to Survive but also putting together a very compelling broadcast product. I feel a lot of sports around the globe could take the same approach.
Napier: Live sport on home shores. It's been a difficult year for New Zealand's sporting athletes and fans. With the border shut, Auckland enduring a four-month lockdown and MIQ battles causing major frustrations the vast majority of our engagement with sport has come offshore. Should that situation improve next year, Kiwis must savour the moment by flocking to their favourite codes and venues.
Brown: A return to travelling to and covering events and not just via Zoom. It has served its purpose during a pandemic, but it should never replace the ability to get out and meet in person.
Waldegrave: Travel. Pure and simple. Hats off to all of the sports and athletes who got the job done under the cosh of Covid. Your commitment and dedication made us all proud and very happy. You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.
Shannon: Athlete activism. It's hardly fair to ask sportspeople to discuss genocide or slave labour as freely as they do form or technique. But next year the world's focus will be on China during the Winter Olympics and Qatar for the Football World Cup, giving athletes a greater chance than ever to highlight human-rights abuses in both countries.
McMillan: Athletes being open in interviews including talking about mental health and the pressures they face. The refreshing honesty of Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles was important for both athletes and fans of sport to consider.
Aldworth: Laurel Hubbard disappointed on the big stage, failing to complete a successful lift in the weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics. But as the first openly transgender woman to compete at an Olympic Games, she made us consider big questions about inclusivity and diversity. Sport is more than just games.
Pine: Devon Conway. A double-hundred on test debut at Lord's, key runs in the WTC final, a brilliant century in his third ODI and T20 numbers (average 50, SR 139) that stack up with anyone. Sensational.
Reive: Does Reece Walsh count? He's not a Kiwi, but he plays for the Warriors so I'll say yes. I don't think too many of us expected him to have as big an impact as he did immediately at NRL level for the Warriors. Let's hope he sticks around long term.
Wells: Will Jordan. He's made the most of every opportunity in the black jersey in 2021, scoring 15 tries in 11 tests. His stellar form also impressed those at the top of the sport, being named World Rugby's breakthrough player of the year. There's no doubt he'll be a force to reckon with at the 2023 World Cup.
Smith: From a Kiwi perspective Ellesse Andrews - future star and perhaps the most unexpected medal of the Games - and worldwide Emma Raducanu, just ahead of Ariane Titmus.
Napier: Emma Raducanu - the 18-year-old US Open champion who claimed the title after winning 10 straight matches, including three in qualifying, without dropping a set. In doing so Raducanu rendered all convention irrelevant, achieving the feat a mere three months into her pro career. Closer to home Reece Walsh proved he will light up the NRL long after he eventually leaves the Warriors.
Brown: Cam Norrie, the Kiwi-raised British tennis player who won the Indian Wells Masters, the unofficial fifth major, and has ended the year ranked 12 in the world after starting it at 74.
Waldegrave: Every child who tried a new sport this year. The kid who picked up a ball and threw it, the kid who belted it back. The kids who put on kit for the first time, the kids who discovered the joy of playing. They are our breakthrough athletes, they are our future.
Shannon: Sam Obisanya enjoyed his best season since moving from Nigeria to AFC Richmond, helping the relegated Greyhounds bounce straight back into the Premier League. The winger scored his first hat-trick and it was no surprise to see him the subject of intense transfer speculation, eventually making the wise choice to remain at Nelson Road.
McMillan: Lamont Marcell Jacobs Jr. Honestly had anyone before 2021 heard of him other than Lamont Marcell Jacobs Snr? With Usain Bolt retired, it was all about crowning a new sprint king in the most anticipated event at each Olympics and it was won by a guy from Italy - a country now tied with New Zealand when it comes to 100m Olympic medals.
Aldworth: Moana Pasifika to make the Super Rugby playoffs. Liam Lawson to get a contract to drive F1 in 2023. Vaccination status of athletes and crowds to be a constant talking point. The All Blacks' November test at Twickenham to be a barometer for the team's condition ahead of the 2023 World Cup. Portsmouth to win promotion to the Championship.
Pine: The All Whites will qualify for the 2022 World Cup with victory over Panama in June's intercontinental playoff, Chris Wood scoring both goals in a 2-1 victory.
Reive: The New York Mets will win the World Series - don't laugh... it could happen.
Wells: The White Ferns will finish in the top three at the World Cup. It seems optimistic given their recent results, but they've got the potential to do great things. Suzie Bates is in top form after recovering from shoulder surgery, and skipper Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr are refreshed and raring to go after each taking a break from the game.
Smith: Here's a couple. The Crusaders probably win Super Rugby Pacific. The Warriors get to play at home but miss the playoffs. The America's Cup hosting debacle for 2024 heads to the courtroom and continues to alienate the very fans it managed to convert.
Napier: As the number of complainants continue to grow, World Rugby will attempt to settle out of court in the legal action for negligence being pursued by over 150 players, some of whom in their early 40s have been diagnosed with early onset dementia. Oh, and the Crusaders won't win Super Rugby.
Brown: New Zealand will win its first Winter Olympics gold medal with Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, Nico Porteous and Alice Robinson prime contenders in Beijing in February.
Waldegrave: World Rugby will sort out a global season? An Aussie will win the Supercars title? The Crusaders will lose? Steven Adams will play for the Tall Blacks? The Halbergs make sense? I'll make a correct prediction?
Shannon: The White Ferns will sneak into the World Cup semis and edge India in a rain-interrupted clash. Facing England in the final, incredibly, a Super Over will be required to decide the champion. Then, unbelievably, the two sides will still be tied after the extra over. So, who wins? What's…a boundary countback? Never mind, my crystal ball must be broken, that makes no sense.
McMillan: Lionel Messi will win a Football World Cup.
Thirty-three finalists were announced for the 62nd ISPS HANDA Halberg Awards.