Tickets On Sale For Unique Sports Event

Tickets On Sale For Unique Sports Event

Organisers of the 2002 Maori Sports Awards are urging people to buy tickets early or miss the opportunity to attend this year’s ceremony at the world-class Taupo Events Centre.

The annual event – now in its 12th year – attracts more than 1000 sportspeople, dignitaries and celebrities who gather to honour the achievements of Maori athletes, administrators, coaches and journalists.

Tickets are again expected to sell out fast for this year’s ceremony which is being hosted by the central North Island tribe of Tuwharetoa on Saturday, December 7.

Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust executive director Richard (Dick) Garratt says several hundred nominations have now been received and are headed by Maori sporting greats such as Tall Black Pero Cameron, Stacey Jones from the Warriors, squash player Leilani Rorani, Black Fern Farah Palmer and sevens great Eric Rush.

Several world champions are also in contention for citations including woodchoppers Jason Wynyard and Ivor Thomas, and the waka ama crew from Ngati Porou – Mareikura.

More than 1300 children will have the chance to meet Maori sports role models such as Jones, Rush, Palmer and Rorani at the Tamariki Sport and Cultural Day in Taupo the day before the big event.

“We’re staggered by the quality of the nominations which is an indication of the incredible impact Maori sportspeople have had in the international arena over the past 12 months,” Mr Garratt says.

“It’s also encouraging to see entries from a number of lesser known sports, and from other sports where Maori have not previously succeeded. This will make the final selections a difficult one.”

Tickets are available from Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust on e-mail mailto:info@maorisportsawards.co.nz.

© Scoop Media