Murray, the Commonwealth Games women's high jump gold medallist, won the award when the first annual awards were held at the Glenroy Auditorium on March 30 1990.
This event was originated by the Otago Sports Trust (now Sport Otago) and was organised by the trust's chief executive Paul Allison.
The Otago Daily Times knows of two earlier awards dinners - in 1967, when it was won by World Bowls champion Gordon Jolly, and in 1986 when it was jointly won by Trudy Painter (athletics) and Commonwealth Games bowls singles champion Ian Dickison.
The 1986 dinner was organised by the Albion Cricket Club.
Other former winners attending this year are Jeff Wilson (rugby), Chris Donaldson (athletics), Hamish Bond (rowing) and Laurie Mains (rugby).
Five-time winner Greg Henderson is sending a recorded message from Spain.
The annual awards is now a formal dinner and the event has grown to be the premier annual regional sports awards event in New Zealand.
A capacity guest list of 500 people will attend tonight's dinner and the guest speaker is three-time world champion and Olympic rowing bronze medallist Mahe Drysdale.
The master of ceremonies is Steve Davie.
Other notable guests at the dinner over the years have included 1952 Olympic long jump gold medallist Yvette Williams, cricketer Bert Sutcliffe and 1960 Olympic 5000m gold medallist Sir Murray Halberg.
There were only two categories of awards in 1990 - sportsperson and sports personality - and other awards have been added over the years as the event evolved.
The finalists at the 1990 awards were Mike Brewer (All Black), Anne Judkins (silver medallist in road walk at Commonwealth games), Tania Murray, Terry Scott (winner New Zealand singles bowls title), Ken Rutherford (test cricketer) and golfer Greg Turner (winner of New Zealand Open).
Murray spent time living in the United States but has recently returned to Otago and is now the sports co-ordinator at Cromwell College.
The sports personality award in 1990 was won by Murray's coach, Trevor Bent.
In 1992 Sport Otago developed a partnership with the Halberg Trust to run the event as a joint venture.
"The format was enhanced considerably to more closely resemble the National Halberg Awards - black tie, formal dinner and speeches - and the event is now held annually in the Dunedin Town Hall," Allison said.
The Otago dinner is the longest-running event in the 17 New Zealand Sports Trust regions.
Another feature has been the high calibre of guest speakers attracted to the dinner, including Steve Ovett (United Kingdom) 2006, Sarah Ulmer and Hamish Carter (2007), Dick Tayler (1999), Dame Susan Devoy (1994) and Sir Brian Lochore (1995). The proceeds from the dinner have been used to assist young people in Otago with disabilities to participate in sport and active recreation.
The event has raised more than $250,000.
A charity auction will be held to raise funds to support young people with a disability to participate in sport and physical activity alongside their able-bodied peers.
Otago Sportsperson of the Year
Finalists:
• NewstalkZB Sportswoman: Suzie Bates (cricket, basketball), Nicky Samuels (multisport), Alison Shanks (cycling).
• Speight's Sportsman: Hamish Bond (rowing), Adam Hall (paralympic skier), Brendon McCullum (cricket).
• Aotea Team: Otago cricket team, Otago under-21 netball team, Nina and Lisa Daniels (synchronised swimming).
• Air NZ Coach: Craig Palmer (cycling), Mike Hesson (cricket), Mark Elliott (cycling-triathlon).
• Otago Daily Times Class Act: freeskier Jossi Wells (freeskier), Sophie Williamson (cycling), Mark Watt (bowls).
