A world-class field of athletes, administrators, coaches and teams will vie for top honours at the 2023 Māori Sports Awards later this month (November).
For the first time in its 33-year history, the national awards organiser – Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust – will host the event at the Mercury Arena in Mount Maunganui on Saturday 25 November from 5.15pm.
More than 500 guests from the Māori community, sporting codes and corporate sector will attend the black-tie ceremony which will be broadcast on Whakaata Māori.
Winners in 10 categories will be announced including sports administrator; umpire/referee; Paralympian; coach; team; junior and senior sportsman and woman; and world champions. All finalists will be in contention for the supreme award – the prestigious Albie Pryor Memorial Maori Sportsperson of the Year, Rongomaraeroa.
The trust will also pay tribute to several Māori sports legends who have passed away over the past 12 months: Jason Wynyard, Taini Jamison, Tane Norton and Ray Reardon.
Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa executive director Richard (Dick) Garratt MNZM says the record number of Māori achieving on the world stage is testament to the vision of the late, great Albie Pryor.
In 1991, Pryor (Ngāti Awa) established the sporting showcase to promote and encourage Māori in the pursuit of excellence, later expanding that brief to identify and support young Māori talent so they could achieve at Olympic, Commonwealth and international competitions.
Since 1994, some 400 Māori Sports Awards scholarships with a total value of $900,000 have enabled rangatahi to further their sporting or educational careers. “There is no doubt that our founder and mentor would be extremely proud of his legacy,” Garratt says.
The 2023 Māori Sports Awards finalists are:
TE ARATIATIA | MĀORI SPORTS UMPIRE/REFEREE:
Rochelle Tamarua (Te Rarawa), Ahitereiria | Australia – rugby league
Ben O’Keeffe (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – rugby
Desrae Garratt (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Mutunga), Mauao | Mount Maunganui – tennis
MĀUI TIKITIKI-Ā-TARANGA | MĀORI SPORTS ADMINISTRATOR:
Tom Pere (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Kai Tahu), Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington – cricket
Doreen Jensen (Ngāti Maniapoto), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – lawn bowls
Titia Graham (Ngāi Tūhoe), Kirikiriroa | Hamilton – rugby league
TE TOIHUAREWA | MĀORI PARALYMPIC ATHLETE/TEAM:
Cameron Leslie (Ngāpuhi), Whangārei – para-swimming
NGĀ IKA Ā WHIRO | MĀORI SPORTS TEAM:
Central Districts Māori Wāhine team – cricket
New Zealand Māori Ngā Māreikura Under 18 Girls team – rugby
Aotearoa Māori Women’s Fours team – lawn bowls
TE MARU Ō TŪMATAUENGA | MĀORI SPORTS COACH:
Cory Sweeney (Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara), Mauao | Mount Maunganui – rugby sevens
Clayton McMillan (Ngāti Rangi), Kirikiriroa | Hamilton – rugby
Ebony Matenga (Tainui/Waikato), Tauranga – gymnastics
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 – eight 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:
Hunter Edwards (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Whakatōhea), Rotorua – golf
Justine McGregor (Ngāti Porou), Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington – rugby
Hinekahukura Brooking (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Tūranganui-a-Kiwa | Gisborne – waka ama
Erika Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu), Ōtepoti | Dunedin – swimming
Kiana O’Fee (Ngāpuhi), Mauao | Mount Maunganui – surf lifesaving
TE TAMA-Ā-RANGINUI | JUNIOR MĀORI SPORTSMAN:
Noah Hotham (Hauraki), Ōtautahi | Christchurch – rugby
Te Hamahana Te Aute (Ngāi Te Rangi), Te Puke – rugby league, rugby
David (Davey) Motu (Te Rarawa), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – lawn bowls
HINEAHUONE | SENIOR MĀORI SPORTSWOMAN:
Zoe Hobbs (Ngāruahine, Ngāti Ruanui), Taranaki – athletics
Dame Lisa Carrington DNZM (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou), North Harbour – canoe racing
Suzie Bates (Ngāi Tahu), Ōtepoti | Dunedin – cricket
Tyla Nathan-Wong (Ngāpuhi), Ahitereiria | Australia – rugby sevens
Ruahei Demant (Ngāti Awa, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Te Whakatōhea) Tāmaki Makaurau | rugby
TE TAMA-Ā-TANENUIĀRANGI | SENIOR MĀORI SPORTSMAN:
Trent Boult (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Porou), Mauao | Mount Maunganui – cricket
Aaron Smith (Ngāti Kahungunu), Ōtepoti | Dunedin – rugby
James Fisher-Harris (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Tainui), Ahitereiria | Australia – rugby league
Sam Gaze (Te Atiawa), Kemureti | Cambridge – mountain bike cross country
More information about the Māori Sports Awards is on the website www.maorisportsawards.co.nz.
For more information including media interviews or table and ticket sales, contact Dick Garratt at Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust on phone 0274 901 237 or email dickg@maorisportsawards.co.nz.
