Sport Thought: Conbrio Northland Sports Awards finalists named

OPINION:

Northland’s finest athletes will be recognized for their sporting achievements when the 2022 Conbrio Northland Sports Awards will be presented virtually online on Wednesday, March 22nd.

Twelve sports codes nominated 28 people for the region’s premier sporting awards, with 20 finalists recently announced after being selected by the jury.

Achievements recognized reflect the period between October 1, 2021 and October 30, 2022, with Northland regional sporting organizations or national sporting organizations being asked to join with them in recognizing their best Northland athletes and their top To nominate teams that have made outstanding contributions to their sport.

The winners of the Fireco Sportswoman Award, Fireco Sportsman Award, and Team of the Year Award then qualify for the Conbrio Supreme Award overall. Three Northland athletes will also be inducted into the Northland Legends of Sport that night.

A feature of the finalist list is the importance of the relatively minor sports of waka ama and lawn bowls. Waka ama is represented in the Team, Sportsman (x2), and Service to Sport awards, while Lawn Bowls has finalists in the Team (x2), Sportswoman, and Sportsman awards.

The Community Impact Award, supported by Pak’nSave Whangarei, is also presented and showcases some of the amazing play, active leisure and sports initiatives around Northland. The purpose of the Community Impact Award is to identify, celebrate, encourage and encourage collaborative community projects that are making a positive impact in and on their communities through play, active recreation and sport. There were nine wonderful nominations that will be highlighted tonight.

The three inducted into the Northland Legends of Sport will join 32 past Northland athletes who have represented Northland and New Zealand with distinction on the world sports stage.

The Conbrio Northland Sports Awards will be presented on Sport Northland’s Facebook page on Wednesday 22 March from 7.30pm.

A full list of finalists follows:

team of the year

Kensington Women’s Champion Fours – Lawn Bowls

Onerahi Men’s Fours – Lawn Bowls

Herberts on Tour – Waka Ama

Brian Maunsell serving the sport

Brian Johnston and Peter Crawford – Cricket

Vicki Gribble – Ice Hockey

Anna Pospisil (posthumous) – Waka Ama

Garry Frew Memorial Junior Athlete of the Year

Hayden Ganley – Ice Hockey

Kyren Andrew – Para Cycling

Toby Bell- Rugby

Daniel Hammond- Tennis

Emily Dainty – Trampoline

Fireco Sportswoman of the Year

Lani Daniels – boxing

Patricia Murray – Lawn Bowls

Crystal Murray – Rugby

Fireco Sportsman of the Year

Tu Kaha Cooper – Basketball

Mason Reed – clay target shooting

Tim Southee – Cricket

Dean McMurchy – Lawn Bowls

Jason Reti- Waka Ama

Tupuria King – Waka Ama