It’s been a huge year for the 19-year-old swimmer, with her most recent accolade being breaking the World Cup series record for women’s 400-metre freestyle in Berlin. She beat the previous record by three seconds with a swim of 4 minutes 1.09 seconds.
Fairweather also scored a personal best and a bronze medal at the World Aquatic Championships in the 400-metre freestyle, making her the fifth woman to go below four minutes in this event.
She holds the New Zealand open records for women’s 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle and the women’s 4x50m relay and 4x200m relay.
Winners in 10 categories were announced including para-athlete; administrator; umpire/referee; coach; team; junior and senior sportsman and woman; and world champions.
All finalists were in contention for the supreme award – the prestigious Albie Pryor Memorial Māori Sportsperson of the Year, Rongomaraeroa.
The 2023 Māori Sports Awards scholarship recipients and winners are:
MĀORI EDUCATION TRUST SCHOLARSHIP:
Jayda Maniapoto (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto), Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa | Massey University, Manawatū – rugby, rugby sevens, rugby league, touch
SKILLS ACTIVE MĀORI SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP:
Reece Cobb (Waikato, Tainui), Tauranga – gymnastics
TE TOI HUAREWA | MĀORI PARA ATHLETE OF THE YEAR:
Cameron Leslie (Ngāpuhi), Whangārei – para-swimming
MĀUI TIKITIKI-Ā-TARANGA | MĀORI SPORTS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR:
Titia Graham (Ngāi Tūhoe), Hamilton – rugby league
TE ARATIATIA | MĀORI SPORTS UMPIRE/REFEREE OF THE YEAR:
Ben O’Keeffe (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – rugby
TE MARU Ō TŪMATAUENGA | MĀORI SPORTS COACH OF THE YEAR:
Clayton McMillan (Ngāti Rangi), Kirikiriroa | Hamilton – rugby
NGĀ IKA Ā WHIRO | MĀORI SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR:
Aotearoa Māori Women’s Fours team – lawn bowls
TE PIKINGA O TĀWHAKI | MĀORI WORLD CHAMPION TEAM:
Aotearoa Wāhine Junior 16 team (V6), Tūranganui-a-Kiwa | Gisborne – waka ama
TE PIKINGA O TĀWHAKI | INDIVIDUAL MĀORI WORLD CHAMPIONS:
Marea Mea Motu (Te Rarawa), Whangārei – boxing
Te Arani Moana (Lani) Daniels (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – boxing
Sam Gaze (Te Atiawa), Kemureti | Cambridge – mountain bike cross country
Laquiesha Clifford (Ngāpuhi), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – 8 ball pool
Tuhoto Ariki Pene (Te Arawa), Rotorua – mountain biking
Hinekahukura Brooking (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Tūranganui-a-Kiwa | Gisborne – waka ama
TE TAMĀHINE-Ā-PAPATŪĀNUKU | JUNIOR MĀORI SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR:
Erika Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu), Ōtepoti | Dunedin – swimming
TE TAMA-Ā-RANGINUI | JUNIOR MĀORI SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR:
David (Davey) Motu (Te Rarawa), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – lawn bowls
HINEAHUONE | SENIOR MĀORI SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR:
Dame Lisa Carrington DNZM (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou), North Harbour – canoe racing
TE TAMA-Ā-TANENUIĀRANGI | SENIOR MĀORI SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR:
James Fisher-Harris (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Tainui), Ahitereiria | Australia – rugby league
RONGOMARAEROA | ALBIE PRYOR MEMORIAL MĀORI SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR:
Erika Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu), Ōtepoti | Dunedin – swimming
