Finalists Named For Maori Sports Awards

16 November 2004

Finalists Named For Maori Sports Awards

All Black and Auckland Blues star Kees Meeuws joins New Zealand's top women's tennis player, Shelley Stephens, as finalists in next month's Trillian Trust Maori Sports Awards.

Meeuws - who is affiliated to Ngati Maru, Ngati Whare and Hauraki - has been nominated for Senior Maori Sportsman of the Year along with Black Sox captain Jarrad Martin (Ngati Mutunga) and Bay of Plenty Steamers captain Wayne Ormand (Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngai Tuhoe). Stephens, of Ngapuhi descent, is a finalist for Senior Maori Sportswoman of the Year along with the captain of New Zealand's Olympic basketball team, Leanne Walker (Te Whanau-a-Apanui), and indoor and beach volleyball player Marnie Grant (Te Arawa).

More than 1200 people will attend the black-tie ceremony at the Auckland Showgrounds on Saturday, December 4, while a similar number of youngsters from kura kaupapa Maori (Maori language immersion schools) will meet their sporting heroes - including the Auckland Blues - at a Tamariki Sports and Cultural Day in South Auckland on Thursday, December 2.

'Te Rongo-Tu-Taua a Maui' - honouring male Maori champions - is the theme of this year's awards which will be presented by Ngarimu Daniels and Scotty Morrison. Past sportsmen such as Joseph Warbrick, Opai Asher, George Nepia, Tori Reid and Albie Pryor will be officially inducted into the Maori Sports Hall of Fame while a special table has been set aside for living legends Pat Walsh, Sid Going, Waka Nathan, Manga Emery, Mackie Herewini, Bill Kini and Phillip Orchard.

One of Maoridom's leading entertainers, Sir Howard Morrison, will pay tribute to the champions of yesteryear as part of the entertainment line-up. Auckland cultural group Te Tira Hou, Whakatane High School's Super 12 kapa haka troop and NZ Idol finalist Luke Whaanga will also perform at the event which will be broadcast live to the iwi radio network by Radio Waatea. The ceremony will be televised the following day (5/12) on TV One between 1.30pm and 3pm and on Maori Television from 6pm.

Awards in 10 categories are up for grabs including Maori sports administrator of the year; umpire/referee; sportsperson with a disability; coach; junior sportsman and woman; senior sportsman and woman; sports team; and world champions. Scholarships worth more than $20,000 will be presented on the night as well as a special Maori Olympian prize, the Maori Sports Media Award of the Year and SPARC's Best Community Initiative Award.

The annual awards event recognises sporting achievements from October 1, 2003, to October 1, 2004, with judges selecting three finalists in each category. All finalists are in contention for the supreme award - the 2004 Albie Pryor Memorial Maori Sportsperson of the Year.

The finalists are:

Te Whanau o Waipareira Trust Maori Sports Administrator - Maui Tikitiki-a-Taranga:
Robin Manihera, Auckland (Ngati Hine, Ngati Porou) - netball
Gail McLauchlan, Christchurch (Ngati Raukawa, Ngai Te Rangi, Ngati Awa) - netball
Wiremu Neho, Whangarei (Ngapui) - golf

ACC Maori Sports Umpire - Te Aratiatia:
Lyn Farrell, North Shore/Auckland (Ngati Maniapoto) - hockey
Wiremu Tamaki, Hamilton (Waikato, Raukawa) - softball
Josef Brown, Papakura/South Auckland (Ngati Porou) - netball

Human Rights Commission/Health and Disability Commissioner Disabled Maori Sportsperson - Te Toihuarewa:
Peter Martin, Cambridge (Te Arawa) - field athletics
Sholto Taylor, Napier (Ngati Kahungunu) - wheelchair rugby
Maioro Barton, Hamilton (Ngati Wai, Ngati Porou) - wheelchair basketball/athletics

UNITEC Maori Sports Coach - Te Maru o Tumatauenga:
Chubb Tangaroa, Havelock North (Ngati Kahungunu) - softball
Dr Simeon Cairns, Auckland (Ngati Whakaaue) - table tennis
Kiwi Takao, Gisborne (Ngai Tuhoe, Ngati Porou) - waka ama

ACC Sports Team - Nga Ika a Whiro:
Aotearoa Maori Women's Sevens Rugby
NZ Maori All Blacks
Hinerupe Maidens U-16 Junior Girl's Waka Ama (Gisborne)

Te Puni Kokiri Junior Maori Sportswoman - Te Tamahine-a-Papatuanuku:
Sarah Jarvis, Hamilton (Tainui) - alpine ski racing
Airini Mason, Whakatane (Ngati Awa) - surfing
Rona Peters, Auckland (Te Aupouri, Te Rarawa) - rugby league/touch

Mighty River Power Junior Sportsman - Te Tama-a-Ranginui:
Tanerau Latimer, Te Puke (Tuhourangi) - rugby sevens/rugby
Jordan Vandermade, Auckland (Ngai Tuhoe, Ngati Te Rangi) - athletics
Hikawera Elliott, Hastings (Ngati Awa) - rugby

Fletcher Construction Senior Maori Sportswoman - Hinehuone:
Marnie Grant, Rotorua (Te Arawa) - indoor/beach volleyball
Leanne Walker, Hamilton (Te Whanau-a-Apanui) - basketball
Shelly Stephens, North Shore, Auckland (Ngapuhi) - tennis

Trillian Trust Senior Maori Sportsman - Te Tame-a-Tanenuiarangi:
Jarrad Martin, Waitara (Ngati Mutunga) - softball
Wayne Ormand, Mt Maunganui (Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngai Tuhoe) - rugby
Kees Meeuws, France (Ngati Maru, Ngati Whare, Hauraki) - rugby

The Wanderers Club World Champion Awards:
Jason Wynyard, Henderson/West Auckland (Ngati Maniapoto, Ngapuhi) - wood-chopping
Hinerupe Maidens U-16 Junior Girl's Waka Ama, Gisborne

More information about the 2004 Trillian Trust Maori Sports Awards is on the website www.maorisportsawards.co.nz .

ENDS

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