Media Release
Date: 10 December 2004
Freedom Air People’s Choice Sports Awards Winners Announced
Sarah Ulmer voted Supreme Winner
Winners from each of the six categories, as well as the overall Freedom Air People’s Choice Sports Awards Supreme
Winner, were announced last night at a gala dinner at the Hyatt Regency Auckland. The awards were broadcast live on SKY
Sport 1 and simulcast on Radio Sport. Category winners are as follows.
Cyclist Sarah Ulmer was voted ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ and Supreme Winner. Ulmer jumped on her first bike at 15 and won
a Junior World gold medal two years later, before becoming the Commonwealth Individual Pursuit champion in Kuala Lumpur
and Manchester. This year, the 28-year-old Aucklander proceeded to break the world record in Melbourne, only to smash it
twice later in the year at Athens and take home the Olympic gold.
‘Paralympian of the Year’ was awarded to Peter Martin, Team Captain for the Athens Paralympics. Martin holds the world
records in his class for shot put, javelin and pentathlon and won two gold medals and a bronze at Athens.
‘Sports Coach of the Year’ was awarded to the world’s most successful Sevens rugby coach, Gorden Tietjens. Tietjens has
won two Commonwealth Games Gold Medals and a World Sevens crown in Argentina in 2001, along with the IRB Sevens title
for the fifth time this year.
Olympic Gold medalist, Hamish Carter was announced ‘Sportsman of the Year’. Carter has been chastising his lean
70-kilogram frame with triathlons for twelve years. He now has 22 professional victories under his belt, including 12
World Cup wins and Athens gold.
Capturing the Ranfurly Shield for the first time in the union’s 93-year history, Bay of Plenty Steamers were announced
‘Sports Team of the Year’. They also made the NPC semi-finals for the first time.
Lance Armstrong the greatest Tour de France rider of all time was voted ‘International Team/Sportsperson of the Year’
This year, the 33-year-old Texan clinched a record sixth consecutive Tour title, winning six stages himself, including
the gruelling Time Trial event.
About the Freedom Air People’s Choice Sports Awards
The Freedom Air People’s Choice Sports Awards provide an opportunity for New Zealanders to select and vote for their
favourite sports heroes. The awards comprise six categories: Sports Team, Coach, Paralympian, Sportswoman, Sportsman and
International (non New Zealander).
Category finalists - the most popular nominees - were selected as from the thousands of nominations from the New Zealand
public via the Freedom Air People’s Choice Sports Awards website as well as phone, text messaging, fax or coupons. The
nomination process was monitored by a panel of media representatives and prominent sports personalities including
Bernice Mene, Phil Gifford, Trevor McEwen, Anna Lawrence, Martin Crowe, and Secretary General of the NZOC, Barry
Maister.
The five finalists in each category, as chosen by the New Zealand public, were revealed over six weeks on SKY Sport and
Radio Sport. Each show focused on one of the six awards categories; sportswoman, sportsman, team, coach, paralympian and
international.
Viewers and listeners voted for their preferred finalist via SKY Interactive supported by phone voting and text
messaging. Proceeds from voting will be donated to Paralympics New Zealand.
Freedom Air People’s Choice Sports Awards Winners:
Paralympian of the Year: Peter Martin
Sports Coach of the Year: Gorden Tietjens
Sports Team of the Year: Bay of Plenty Steamers
Sportsman of the Year: Hamish Carter
Sportswoman of the Year: Sarah Ulmer
International Team/Sportsperson of the Year: Lance Armstrong
Supreme Winner: Sarah Ulmer
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