THE TOP 10
You were not expecting that, were you? But there is something magical about this one. She is young and brilliant — basically a marketer’s dream. If she is not being lined up for milliondollar contracts, there is something seriously wrong. Created history with New Zealand’s first Winter Olympics gold medal and you get the feeling it will not be the snowboarding sensation’s last.
Israel Mobolaji Odunayo Oluwafemi Temitayo Owolabi Adesanya. He’s a bit mouthy, a bit classless and a bit bitter at his supposed illtreatment by his adopted country. But the UFC middleweight champion is a phenomenal mixed martial artist. He is No 2 on the UFC’s poundforpound rankings and perhaps our only genuine global sporting star.
Still in his 20s but preparing for his 10th season as a regular player in the
NBA. There are good New Zealand hoopers everywhere now but none has that sort of record. Adams — still, sadly, refusing to play for the Tall Blacks — has just come off a quietly excellent season for the Grizzlies.
The other face of the wonderful young New Zealand snowsports squad. Porteous was beaten to the punch by the other historymaker but he was rightly celebrated for his own gold medalwinning exploits in Beijing. Absolutely electric to watch him do his thing.
Ko is playing great golf and seems really happy off the course as she prepares to get married. Hasn’t won a major this year but has banked a handy couple of million, has seven top10 finishes in her past nine starts, and is ranked fourth in the world.
Still, unbelievably, the most underrated sportsman in New Zealand. Wood is a legitimate challenger to Wynton Rufer and Ryan Nelsen as the Kiwi football GOAT.
Part of the Saudibacked revolution at Newcastle United.
There are many debates around All Blacks selection but ‘‘does Ardie make the starting XV’’ is not one of them. Genuinely worldclass loose forward.
The big Kiwi story at the Commonwealth Games with four stunning gold medals in cycling.
Perhaps getting close to the twilight of his career, and hasn’t actually played much this year due to injury. But class is permanent, and the Black Caps captain should have some runs left in him yet.
The other big Kiwi story at the Commonwealth Games. A superstar in the making.
Normally, the captain of our national team would rank higher. But the All Blacks (the Johannesburg test