FEATURE

Finalists announced for Sport Wellington Sportsperson of the Year Awards 2015

By Sport Wellington

43 finalists have been named for the Sport Wellington Sportsperson of the Year Awards 2015. Six judges, experts in their sporting and sports media fields, deliberated over 200 nominations across 12 categories. The 2015 winners will be announced at the awards ceremony held Thursday 4 June at TSB Bank Arena. Of these category winners will come the supreme winner; the 2015 Sport Wellington Sportsperson of the Year.

Last year, Steven Adams took out top honours as Sportsperson of the Year, as well as Sportsman of the Year, after a hugely successful season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Swimmer Mary Fisher was named Disabled Sportsperson and Sportswoman of the Year. Fisher will once again compete in the Sportswoman of the Year category, alongside Julianne Alvarez, Samantha Lee and Erin-Monique O’Brien. Dane Coles, Grant Elliott, James Hunter and Nick Willis are contenders for the Sportsman of the Year title.

One Wellingtonian has also been selected to receive the Lifetime Contribution to Sport Award which will be revealed at the awards dinner. As well as the categories named, The Dominion Post Personality of the Year award will be put to a public vote in The Dominion Post.

Sport Wellington Chief Executive Phil Gibbons said the judges were really challenged this year with a high standard of nominations submitted. “We want to thank everyone that took the time to complete a nomination, the quality of nominations we received was outstanding. It’s great to see so many Wellingtonians taking this opportunity to recognise and celebrate successes in their sport, and acknowledge those who work so hard to make sport happen.”

A wide range of sports have been recognised as finalists this year, ranging from cricket and athletics, which feature repeatedly, through to orienteering and canoe polo.

“The range of sports recognised really highlights the diversity of Wellingtons sporting landscape with 14 different sports recognised within the finalists alone. Our region can be justifiably proud of all nominees but even more so of the finalists announced today” adds Gibbons.

The awards dinner will include the 2015 induction of the Sports Legends of Wellington. Once inducted the Legends will have plaques unveiled in their honour at the ASB Sports Centre in Kilbirnie.

Sport Wellington has also announced that after a successful event last year, New Zealand television broadcaster and TVNZ sports icon Geoff Bryan will act as host for the evening. Tickets for the awards are highly sought after and can be purchased through Sport Wellington by visiting wellingtonsportsawards.co.nz.