Temepara Clark named top Maori sportsperson

Silver Fern Temepara Clark has been named the top Maori sportsperson of the year.

Clark took the top award, the Albie Pryor Memorial Sports Person of the Year at the Trillian Trust-sponsored ceremony, after winning the Senior Maori Sportswoman award.

The supreme winner is chosen from the winners of nine categories. The Sportsman award went to All Black first five-eighth Carlos Spencer.

New Zealand Warriors and Kiwis league star Stacey Jones was presented with a new award, Tiori, for an individual who has consistently shown the highest values of sporting excellence.

More than 1200 sporting, political, corporate and community leaders attended the event run by Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust at the Auckland Showgrounds.

This year's ceremony paid tribute to Maori women sporting champions of the past and tributes flowed for lawn bowler Millie Khan, who died last week.

The winners, who were chosen from more than 200 nominations in 11 categories, were:

* Senior Sportswoman of the Year: Temepara Clark (Nga Puhi) netball.

* Senior Maori Sportsman of the Year: Carlos Spencer (Ngati Kahungunu, Muaupoko) rugby.

* Administrator of the Year: Christine Panapa (Ngati Tuwharetoa, Nga Puhi) rugby league.

* Umpire/referee of the Year: Shaun Birmingham (Waikato), touch rugby.

* Disabled Sports Person of the Year: William Beattie (Ngai Tuhoe, Ngati Kahungunu), field athletics.

* Coach of the Year: Colin Cooper (Ngati Porou), rugby.

* Maori Sports Team: Women's Rugby Sevens.

* Trustees Award Tiori: Stacey Jones (Nga Puhi, Ngati Maniapoto), rugby league.

* Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Tia Mataira (Ngati Kahungunu) taekwondo.

* Junior Sportsman of the Year: Blake Skjellerup (Wanganui, Ngati Pamoana) ice speed skating.