Good luck picking a winner this year.
Nominations have opened for the annual Otago Sports Awards and the competition is expected to be fierce.
The Covid-enforced delay to the Tokyo Games means there is a rare battle between both summer and winter Olympians in the qualifying period.
That means superstar snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott jostling with swimming prodigy Erika Fairweather, Paralympic gold medallists Holly Robinson and Anna Grimaldi — not to mention a rather useful motocross rider called Courtney Duncan, and others — in a an almost surreally strong sportswoman category.
Winter Olympic freeskiing gold medallist Nico Porteous will start as a likely favourite in the men’s category, while the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield-winning Otago Sparks, the Otago Whalers and the Otago men’s softball team might be contenders in the team category.
There are three new categories this year: para athlete/team, emerging talent individual and emerging talent team.
Sport Otago is hoping to push the emerging talent categories to recognise athletes and teams, generally of secondary school age, who have had significant success but might not able to compete against finalists in the junior categories who have won Olympic medals or international competitions.
The other major change is the introduction of Otago Polytechnic as the event’s major sponsor.
It replaces ASB, which had been the principal sponsor for 16 years.
"Our connection with our community is an important part of who we are and celebrating the success of our Otago people has a natural affinity with Otago Polytechnic."
Sport Otago chief executive John Brimble was delighted to have the educational institute on board.
"We have had a long existing relationship with Otago Polytechnic and look forward to this continuing," Brimble said.
The awards have generally been held at the Dunedin Town Hall or the Edgar Centre but will this year be held at the Otago Polytechnic Hub on Friday, June 3.
The qualifying period for the awards is April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
Nomination guidelines and forms can be found on the Sport Otago website, and nominations close at 5pm on Sunday, April 10.
-- HAYDEN MEIKLE
