Nelson names in football media awards

A glorious goal in the mud has scored Nelson Mail photographer Martin de Ruyter the best single image award at the New Zealand Football Media Awards.

Covering two First XI football games around the region on a muddy June afternoon, timing and placement proved fortuitous for de Ruyter as he captured arguably the best of Nelson College’s 13 goals scored against Nayland College in a match at Broads.

By the time de Ruyter arrived after a scoreless first half between Waimea College and Marlborough Boys College at Richmond, Nelson College was already up 4-0.

In the hope of taking a few good shots, de Ruyter stationed himself at halfway, despite the boggy conditions.

‘‘Normally I wouldn’t set up there...but everything seemed to be happening down one end of the park,’’ he said.

Among the nine goals scored in the second half, de Ruyter was perfectly positioned to snap Nelson captain Labu Pan’s incredible bicycle kick which eluded the Nayland goalkeeper.

‘‘You could see it all happening in slow motion.’’

Judge Glenn Jeffrey said the winning photo was a ‘‘standout’’ and ‘‘a decisive moment of aerial ballet by the striker, perfectly captured.’’

His first award for football, de Ruyter’s photo was also nominated for Best Sports Photo at this year’s Canon Media Awards.

Former Nelson Mail sports reporter Phillip Rollo was also an awards finalist, named runner-up in the CommunityInternet Writer of the Year category. Rollo had previously won the award in 2012 and 2014.

Judge Terry Maddaford praised Rollo’s wide-ranging portfolio that included stories on Tasman United import Nicolas Abot and Nelson Suburbs’ shunning of the Chatham Cup.