The Halberg Foundation yesterday announced 76 nominations for the 60th awards had been received from national sports organisations and an independent nominations board.
The nominations come from 30 sporting codes for achievements over the past 12 months.
Wanaka snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, who won New Zealand’s first Winter Olympics gold medal, must be the early favourite in the sportswoman of the year category.
Leading challengers include Black Ferns stars Ruahei Demant and Theresa Fitzpatrick, kayaking great Lisa Carrington, golfer Lydia Ko and cycling stars Ellesse Andrews and Bryony Botha.
He will be challenged by the likes of motorsport ace Shane van Gisbergen, All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea, Commonwealth Games cycling supremo Aaron Gate, squash player Paul Coll and golfers Steven Alker and Ryan Fox.
Dunedin javelin thrower Holly Robinson and ageless skier Adam Hall are finalists in the para athlete/team of the year category.
Matt Toa, one of the big players in the MMA scene in New Zealand for a long time, and freeskiing guru Tommy Pyatt are among the nominations for coach of the year, though it will be hard to top Black Ferns coach Wayne Smith.
Olympic freeskier Gustav Legnavsky and Queenstown junior world freeski champion Ruby Andrew are up for the emerging talent award.
It will be a particularly poignant night following the recent death of Murray Halberg, who re-established the awards in 1963 and drove fundraising for the charity in his name that helps young New Zealanders with disabilities access sport.
