New Zealand under-19 cricket star Nathan Smith claimed supreme honours at the Waitaki Sports Awards last night.
Smith, the 17-year-old fast bowler, won the supreme award in front of about 120 people at the Network Waitaki-sponsored awards at the Oamaru Opera House.
The Waitaki Boys' High School year 13 pupil fought off stiff competition from the other major category winners to add another honour to his already impressive list of achievements.
Smith, who was also named junior sportsman of the year, was one of New Zealand's best performers at the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, helped North Otago earn a challenge for the Hawke Cup, and was in the Otago Volts wider training squad.
New Zealand under-19 downhill mountain biking champion Connor Sandri, who was seventh at the world championships, was named sportsperson of the year.
Towering netballer Jennifer O'Connell, a member of the New Zealand under-21 squad and the Dunedin team at the national championships, won the junior sportswoman award.
Team of the year went to national champion rowers Maysie Scott and Sydney Telfer, and coach of the year went to Narcis Gherca, whose Oamaru swimmers have had astonishing success. One of them, Micah Hayes, won the emerging talent award.
Wendy Fallon (masters) and Emma Paton (disability) completed the individual awards, while Bruce Rowland received the Dennis Birtles Memorial award (services to sport) in recognition of his 40 years of rugby refereeing.
The guest speaker at the evening was adventure racing great Nathan Fa'avae.
Awards judges were Sport Waitaki co-ordinator Kate Holland, Waitaki Community Recreation Centre manager Diane Talanoa, tennis stalwart Des McMaster, long-serving administrator Trevor James, veteran broadcaster Terry O'Neill, Allied Press Oamaru manager Mark Julius, and Allied Press North Otago editor Hayden Meikle.
