The great dame can add another glittering trophy to the cabinet.
Dame Lydia Ko was last night awarded New Zealand’s highest sporting honour, securing the Supreme Halberg Award at the 62nd annual ceremony in Auckland.
It rewarded an astonishing year for the talented golfer in which nearly everything she touched turned to gold.
That was literally the case in Paris last year as Ko completed her set of Olympic medals with a two-shot victory in the women’s tournament.
She then won a major, the British Open, secured qualification for the World Golf Hall of Fame, and claimed the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s supreme honour, the Lonsdale Cup.
Ko earlier won the sportswoman of the year title at the Halberg Awards.
She pipped a remarkably strong women’s field containing last year’s supreme winner, kayaking superstar Lisa Carrington, double Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist Ellesse Andrews, T20 World Cup player of the tournament Melie Kerr, world No1 doubles tennis player Erin Routliffe, and rowing great Emma Twigg.
Kerr showed nerves of steel as he recovered from a tricky start to win gold in the high jump at the Paris Olympics, having earlier in the year won the world indoor title.
He triumphed over Otago Olympic kayak cross gold medallist Finn Butcher, triathlete Hayden Wilde, English Premier League striker Chris Wood and world No 1 jockey James McDonald.
While Butcher missed out on a gong, another of Otago’s brightest stars did not.
Anna Grimaldi was a popular winner of the para athlete of the year award.
Grimaldi became New Zealand’s only gold medallist at the Paris Paralympics when she scampered to victory in the T47 200m final.
They dominated in Paris to become the first non-European crew to win Olympic gold in the event.
The Black Ferns Sevens, Team New Zealand, rowers Lucy Spoors and Brooke Francis, and the White Ferns were the other finalists.
Carrington’s coach had yet another trophy to admire.
Gordon Walker was named coach of the year for a sixth time.
Promising footballer Tyler Bindon was handed the emerging talent award. It has been a rapid rise for Bindon, a 20-year-old defender who plays for Reading but has signed for Wood’s high-flying Nottingham Forest.
Tennis veteran Marcus Daniell was honoured with the Sport New Zealand Leadership Award, recognising his commitment to athlete advocacy and philanthropic efforts in the sporting community.
In a special tribute, Michael Hynard received the inaugural Sir Murray Halberg Legacy Award, celebrating his lifelong dedication to advancing sport for people with disabilities and championing inclusivity in New Zealand sport, fitness and recreation.
The Halberg Awards voting academy included 30 members from the world of sport.
Judges included Otago Daily Times sports editor Hayden Meikle, Otago rugby great Farah Palmer, Basketball Otago general manager Jodi Brown and former Otago cycling champion Alison Shanks.
- APL
