The Olympic and world champion high jumper was crowned the supreme winner at the Halberg Awards in Auckland last night.
Kerr, who also won back-to-back sportsman of the year awards, had another spectacular season in the field, winning his first outdoor world championship title when he jumped 2.36m - equalling the New Zealand and Oceania record with a world-leading mark - in Tokyo.
The 29-year-old, who was born in Dunedin, also secured the Diamond League crown in Zurich and was awarded the Lonsdale Cup by the New Zealand Olympic Committee.
Kerr held off athletics team-mate Geordie Beamish, freeskier Luca Harrington, footballer Chris Wood and golfer Ryan Fox to win the sportsman of the year title.
His coach, and best friend, James Sandilands was named coach of the year - his first win in the category - for guiding Kerr through one of the best seasons of his career.
Sadowski-Synnott, who is currently at the Winter Olympics, where she has already won silver in the big air, won the world slopestyle title and claimed gold in the Winter X Games.
She won the gong over Olympic team-mate Alice Robinson, cyclists Sammie Maxwell and Niamh Fisher-Black, Black Ferns star Jorja Miller and tennis ace Erin Routliffe.
Miller was not left empty-handed, though, as the Black Ferns Sevens were crowned team of the year for their success at the world series and world championships.
They held off strong competition from Auckland FC, world champion rowers Ben Taylor and Oliver Welch, the Kiwis, the Black Sox and the men’s team pursuit track cycling squad.
Athletics was the big winner on the night, scooping five awards after Danielle Aitchison was named para athlete of the year and Sam Ruthe won emerging talent.
Aitchison, who won double gold in the T36 100m and 200m at the world championships, was crowned ahead of shot putter Lisa Adams, track cyclists Nicole Murray and Devon Briggs and swimmer Cameron Leslie.
Ruthe is quickly becoming a household name after he became the youngest person to dip under the four-minute mark in the mile.
Black Ferns rookie and World Rugby breakthrough player of the year Braxton Sorensen-McGee, golf champion Cooper Moore, BMX junior elite world champion Lily Greenough, freeski halfpipe world champion Finley Melville Ives and Zoe Pedersen, for an exceptional year across swimming and surf lifesaving, were finalists.
Sport administrator and international leader Katie Sadleir received the Sport New Zealand Leadership Award, recognising her influential contributions to global sport and her long-standing dedication to athlete wellbeing and equity, and Kat Mueller was honoured with the Sir Murray Halberg Legacy Award for her work championing inclusive sport and recreation opportunities for people with disabilities.
The evening also marked the return of the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame inductions, celebrating two Kiwi sporting greats.
Double Olympic gold medallist and four-time world champion shot putter Valerie Adams and All Blacks captain and double World Cup winner Richie McCaw were inducted, recognising their extraordinary contributions to New Zealand sport.
Winners were selected by a panel of former elite athletes, coaches, sports administrators and media representatives, including Otago Daily Times sports editor Hayden Meikle.
