Thirty-two finalists across six categories were announced last night.
Wanaka snowboarding great Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, who won the supreme award in 2022, is a finalist for sportswoman of the year, and she might be hard to beat after winning the world slopestyle title and claiming a gold medal at the Winter X Games.
A leading rival in the category is Queenstown skier Alice Robinson, who won the emerging talent award at the Halbergs in 2019 and is now one of the world’s elite alpine racers.
Black Ferns and sevens star Jorja Miller, road cycling world champion Niamh Fisher-Black, world series cross-country mountainbiking champion Sammie Maxwell and doubles tennis ace Erin Routliffe are the other finalists for sportswoman of the year.
Wanaka freeskier Luca Harrington is one of five finalists for sportsman of the year.
Harrington won gold in slopestyle as a late call-up for the Winter X Games then won the big air title at the world championships, indicating he is a strong medal chance at the Winter Olympics in February.
High jump world champion Hamish Kerr is arguably favoured to repeat his win in this category, in which the other finalists are world steeplechase champion Geordie Beamish, football star Chris Wood and outstanding golfer Ryan Fox.
World para shot put champion Lisa Adams, double world para sprint champion Danielle Aitchison, para cyclists Nicole Murray and Devon Briggs, and para swimmer Cameron Leslie — who won this category two years ago — are the finalists.
Six teams will jostle for the team of the year award.
The Black Ferns Sevens will aim to regain the title they claimed in 2023 after winning the world series and they will be challenged by the Kiwis, the Black Sox, Auckland FC, the world champion men’s rowing pair of Ben Taylor and Oliver Welch, and the men’s team pursuit cycling squad of Nick Kergozou, Tom Sexton, Keegan Hornblow and Marshall Erwood.
Hamish McDougall, the man behind Harrington’s success, is nominated for coach of the year.
The other finalists are Black Ferns Sevens coach Cory Sweeney, rowing coach Mike Rodger, para cycling coach Brendan Cameron and James Sandilands, who coaches Kerr.
Finally, five talented youngsters are nominated for the emerging talent award.
Wanaka freeski sensation Finley Melville Ives is in a competitive category alongside Black Ferns tyro Braxton Sorensen-McGee, swimmer and surf lifesaver Zoe Pedersen, BMX junior world champion Lily Greenough and remarkable runner Sam Ruthe.
The finalists were selected by a panel of former elite athletes, coaches, sports administrators and media representatives, including Otago Daily Times sports editor Hayden Meikle.
Winners of the sportswoman, sportsman, para athlete/team and team categories are also eligible for the Supreme Halberg Award.
The winners will be announced at a function at Spark Arena in Auckland on February 16. — Allied Media
