National Sports Journalism Awards

MEDIA RELEASE

2011 SPARC SIR TERRY McLEAN NATIONAL SPORTS JOURNALISM AWARDS
WINNERS ANNOUNCED


Auckland, 16 December 2011 - New Zealand’s top sports journalists and photographers were recognised at the 2011 Sir Terry McLean National Sports Journalism Awards Dinner in Auckland last night.

The Awards, sponsored by SPARC, attracted around 220 past and present media and sporting celebrities. Among the special guests were All Black coach Graham Henry, 1987 All Black Rugby World Cup winning captain David Kirk as guest speaker and other representatives from the 1987 side.

They were joined by a number of former Olympians including gold medallists Rob Waddell and Danyon Loader, some London bound athletes and cyclists and 7 gold medal winning World Rowing Champions.

The awards attracted almost 150 entries with the premier ASB Sports Journalist of the Year prize and a cheque for $2,000 going to freelance feature writer Margot Butcher. It was the second time Margot had won the supreme award.

It was a big night for the Thames-based writer who won The Golf House Award for Sports Feature writing and also collected the ASB Sports Writer of the Year Award.

Other multiple winners were New Zealand Herald photographer Christine Cornege who won the Nikon Best Single Photo category and the Nikon Sports Photographer of the Year Award, and Grant Nisbett who earlier in the evening picked up the NZOC Award for Sports Broadcast Feature and the NZOC Sports Broadcaster of the Year Award.

An initiative introduced in 2009, the Sir John Wells Sports Journalism Scholarship, was awarded this year to Liam Napier (Fairfax Media) and Daniel Richardson (APNZ). It provides two young journalists the opportunity to spend time in Wellington and Auckland with key sports leaders and organisations to gain a wider understanding of sports governance in New Zealand.

The SPARC Lifetime Contribution to Sport through Journalism Award went to Grant Nisbett, one of New Zealand’s most respected broadcasters who has called more than 200 All Black Tests. Nisbett was also made a Life Member of the NZSJA. Philip Stephens was presented with the Garry Frew Memorial Trophy for Outstanding Contribution to Provincial Sports Journalism.

These were the 31st NZSJA awards, the 17th under the patronage of SPARC, and the 11th year they have been known as the Sir Terry McLean National Sports Journalism Awards.

The 2011 TP McLean National Sports Journalism Awards winners, by award category, were:

BankLink Award for Sports News Reporting – Print
Michael Burgess Herald on Sunday

Great Southern TV Award for Sports News Reporting – Television
Jim Kayes TV3

NZOC Award for Sports Broadcast Feature – Radio/Television
Grant Nisbett Sky TV

The Golf House Award for Sports Feature – Print
Margot Butcher Freelance

Adidas Award for Sports Column/Opinion – Print/Radio/Television
Daryl Holden The Southland Times

New Zealand Herald DJ Cameron Young Writer Award
Liam Napier Fairfax Media

Nikon Award for Sports Photography – Best Portfolio
Brett Phibbs New Zealand Herald

Nikon Award for Sports Photography – Best Single Photo
Christine Cornege New Zealand Herald

Nikon Sports Photographer of the Year
Christine Cornege New Zealand Herald

Adidas Award for Best Single Sports Story – Print/Radio/Television
Dana Johannsen New Zealand Herald

NZOC Sports Broadcaster of the Year
Grant Nisbett Sky TV

ASB Sports Writer of the Year
Margot Butcher Freelance

Fairfax Media Best Provincial Award for Sports Reporting
Daryl Holden (The Southland Times)

Fairfax Media Best Provincial Award for Sports Photography
Mark Taylor (Waikato Times)

Garry Frew Memorial for Outstanding Contribution to Provincial Sports Journalism
Philip Stephens - Radio (Napier)

Sir John Wells Sports Journalism Scholarship
Liam Napier (Fairfax Media) and Daniel Richardson (APNZ)

Special Awards:
SPARC Lifetime Contribution to Sport through Journalism
Grant Nisbett

ASB Sports Journalist of the Year
Margot Butcher

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