Sadowski-Synnott claims NZ’s top sporting honour
21-year-old Sadowski-Synnott became the first New Zealander to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics when she won the slopestyle competition at the Beijing Olympics.
She won a second medal, taking silver in the Big Air competition.
Sadowski-Synnott, who was unable to attend as she competes abroad, previously held the Sportswoman of the Year award ahead of former Halberg’s top award winners Lydia Ko and World Rugby Player of the Year Dame Lisa Carrington , Ruahei Demant, and three-time Commonwealth receive Games gold medalist Ellesse Andrews.
Notable achievements by the New Zealand Winter Olympians included awarding Sportsman of the Year to Wānakas Nico Porteous, who became the first male New Zealander to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics when he prevailed in the freeski halfpipe in Beijing.
He claimed the honor ahead of fellow finalist, cyclist Aaron Gate, supercarse driver Shane van Gisbergen, world No. 1 squash player Paul Coll and world trampoline champion Dylan Schmidt.
The Black Ferns were named Team of the Year for their remarkable win at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. Other finalists included rowers Kerri Williams and Grace Prendergast; Commonwealth Games squash 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 at the Women’s Rugby World Cup and was named ahead of former winners Gordon Walker (canoe racing), Craig Palmer (track cycling), Tommy Pyatt (snow sports) and Sean Thompson (snow sports).
Skier Gustav Legnavsky has been awarded the Sky Sport Emerging Talent award. He won the gold medal in the freeski halfpipe at the World Junior Championships to edge out fellow finalists Jenna Hastings (Junior World Mountain Bike Champion), Tara Vaughan (Canoe Racing), Cameron Gray (Swimming), Josh Willmer (Paraswimming).
New Zealand’s Favorite 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 lineup of the game against the throw, 5m from their tryline, earning them the World Championship won.
Black Ferns Sevens captain Sarah Hirini was honored with the Sport New Zealand Leadership Award.