The 21-year-old Sadowski-Synnott became the first New Zealander to win a Winter Olympics gold medal when she won the slopestyle competition at the Beijing Olympics.
She went on to win a second medal, claiming silver in the big air competition.
Sadowski-Synnott, who was unable to be present as she is competing overseas, had earlier claimed the Sportswoman of the Year honour ahead of former supreme Halberg Award winners Lydia Ko and Dame Lisa Carrington, World Rugby Player of the Year Ruahei Demant and triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ellesse Andrews.
The remarkable feats of New Zealand Winter Olympians included awarding the Sportsman of the Year to Wānaka’s Nico Porteous, who became the first New Zealand male to win a Winter Olympic gold medal when he prevailed in the freeski halfpipe at Beijing.
He claimed the honour ahead of fellow finalists cyclist Aaron Gate, Supercarse driver Shane van Gisbergen, world No. squash player Paul Coll and trampoline world champion Dylan Schmidt.
The Black Ferns won the Team of the Year for their remarkable victory in the Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. Other finalists were rowers Kerri Williams and Grace Prendergast; squash Commonwealth Games winners Joelle King and Paul Coll and King with Amanda Landers-Murphy; and the New Zealand eventing team.
Corey Peters was named Para Athlete/Para Team of the year after double paralympic medals ahead of Para cyclist Nicole Murray, swimmers Dame Sophie Pascoe and Cameron Leslie and skier Adam Hall.
The Coach of the Year award went to Black Ferns coach Wayne Smith. He led the team to victory in the Women’s Rugby World Cup triumph and was named ahead of former winner Gordon Walker (canoe racing), Craig Palmer (track cycling), Tommy Pyatt (snow sport) and Sean Thompson (snow sport).
Skier Gustav Legnavsky was awarded the Sky Sport Emerging Talent honour. He won the gold medal in the freeski halfpipe at the Junior World Championships to edge out other finalists Jenna Hastings (mountain bike junior world champion), Tara Vaughan (canoe racing), Cameron Gray (swimming), Josh Willmer (Para Swimming).
New Zealand’s favourite sporting moment of 2022, the only award voted on solely by the New Zealand public, was awarded to the Black Ferns for winning the final lineout of the game against the throw, 5m from their tryline, winning the World Cup.
Black Ferns Sevens captain Sarah Hirini was awarded Sport New Zealand Leadership Award.
