Ngāi Tahu Swimmer Wins Supreme Māori Sports Award

Dunedin swimmer Erika Fairweather was named Māori Sportsperson of the Year at the 2023 Māori Sports Awards held in the Bay of Plenty tonight (25 November).

Whakaata Māori will screen delayed coverage of the black-tie awards ceremony in a two-hour special screening on Sunday 26 November 2023 at 6.30 PM.

Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu) has smashed the World Cup Series record for the women’s 400m freestyle by more than three seconds and is only the fifth woman to go sub-four minutes for the 400m freestyle at the world championships.

For the first time in its 33-year history, the national awards organiser – Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust – hosted the event at the Mercury Arena in Mount Maunganui.

Winners in 10 categories were announced including para-athlete; administrator; umpire/referee; coach; team; junior and senior sportsman and woman; and world champions.

All finalists were in contention for the supreme award – the prestigious Albie Pryor Memorial Māori Sportsperson of the Year, Rongomaraeroa.

The 2023 Māori Sports Awards scholarship recipients and winners are:

MĀORI EDUCATION TRUST SCHOLARSHIP:

Jayda Maniapoto (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto), Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa | Massey University, Manawatū – rugby, rugby sevens, rugby league, touch

SKILLS ACTIVE MĀORI SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP:

Reece Cobb (Waikato, Tainui), Tauranga – gymnastics

TE TOI HUAREWA | MĀORI PARA ATHLETE OF THE YEAR:

Cameron Leslie (Ngāpuhi), Whangārei – para-swimming

MĀUI TIKITIKI-Ā-TARANGA | MĀORI SPORTS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR:

Titia Graham (Ngāi Tūhoe), Hamilton – rugby league

TE ARATIATIA | MĀORI SPORTS UMPIRE/REFEREE OF THE YEAR:

Ben O’Keeffe (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – rugby

TE MARU Ō TŪMATAUENGA | MĀORI SPORTS COACH OF THE YEAR:

Clayton McMillan (Ngāti Rangi), Kirikiriroa | Hamilton – rugby

NGĀ IKA Ā WHIRO | MĀORI SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR:

Aotearoa Māori Women’s Fours team – lawn bowls

TE PIKINGA O TĀWHAKI | MĀORI WORLD CHAMPION TEAM:

Aotearoa Wāhine Junior 16 team (V6), Tūranganui-a-Kiwa | Gisborne – waka ama

TE PIKINGA O TĀWHAKI | INDIVIDUAL MĀORI WORLD CHAMPIONS:

Marea Mea Motu (Te Rarawa), Whangārei – boxing

Te Arani Moana (Lani) Daniels (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – boxing

Sam Gaze (Te Atiawa), Kemureti | Cambridge – mountain bike cross country

Laquiesha Clifford (Ngāpuhi), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – 8 ball pool

Tuhoto Ariki Pene (Te Arawa), Rotorua – mountain biking

Hinekahukura Brooking (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Tūranganui-a-Kiwa | Gisborne – waka ama

TE TAMĀHINE-Ā-PAPATŪĀNUKU | JUNIOR MĀORI SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR:

Erika Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu), Ōtepoti | Dunedin – swimming

TE TAMA-Ā-RANGINUI | JUNIOR MĀORI SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR:

David (Davey) Motu (Te Rarawa), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – lawn bowls

HINEAHUONE | SENIOR MĀORI SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR:

Dame Lisa Carrington DNZM (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou), North Harbour – canoe racing

TE TAMA-Ā-TANENUIĀRANGI | SENIOR MĀORI SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR:

James Fisher-Harris (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Tainui), Ahitereiria | Australia – rugby league

RONGOMARAEROA | ALBIE PRYOR MEMORIAL MĀORI SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR:

Erika Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu), Ōtepoti | Dunedin – swimming

More information about the Māori Sports Awards is on the website www.maorisportsawards.co.nz.

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