Region’s top athletes saluted at sports awards, Kirkwood Supreme winner
Bay of Plenty’s best sports stars have been acknowledged at the region’s annual sports awards, with the man behind a top triathlete taking the top gong.
The 2022 Forsyth Barr Bay of Plenty Sports Awards were held at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre last night.
The winners of the 13 open categories were announced and the Supreme Award finalists were chosen from six of those.
Athletics and triathlon coach Craig Kirkwood was the Supreme Award winner on the night after first taking out the coach of the year award, Sport Bay of Plenty said in a statement.
Kirkwood coaches triathlete Hayden Wilde, who won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and silver at the Commonwealth Games. Wilde was named sportsman of the year in the awards.
Kirkwood also coaches Pa¯pa¯moa Olympian Sam Tanner, who competed in the 1500m at the Tokyo Olympic Games and 2022 Commonwealth Games.
According to Kirkwood’s coaching website, he has also competed at marathons and Ironman events worldwide.
Kayaker Lisa Carrington, who has had a successful season, was named sportswoman of the year. Carrington became New Zealand’s most successful Olympian this year. She has won a staggering six Olympic medals (five gold, one bronze).
The young sportsman and woman of the year were Tauranga swimmer Gus Shivnan and Rotorua mountain biker Jenna Hastings respectively, while Rotorua shot putter Lisa Adams was named disabled sportsperson of the year.
Other winners¯ included the teams and clubs Otu¯moetai Football
Club, O¯ tu¯moetai College girls’ squash team, Tauranga Boys’ College 1st XI football team and Commonwealth Games beach volleyball duo Sam O’dea and Brad Fuller. Five people were acknowledged for service to sport and Sarah Garnett was named official of the year.
FORSYTH BARR SUPREME AWARD
Craig Kirkwood — Athletics and triathlon coach
HOLLAND BECKETT LAW SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Lisa Carrington — Kayaking
BAYLEYS REAL ESTATE SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Hayden Wilde — Triathlon
AURECON INNOVATION IN SPORT AND RECREATION
Surfing for Farmers
ADVOCATE PRINT OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR
Sarah Garnett — Hockey
EBBETT TAURANGA CLUB OF THE YEAR
O¯ tu¯ moetai Football Club
BAY TRUST COACH OF THE YEAR
Craig Kirkwood — Athletics and triathlon
FORSYTH BARR YOUNG
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Gus Shivnan — Swimming
EVES REALTY YOUNG SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Jenna Hastings — Mountain biking
ORIX NEW ZEALAND DISABLED SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR
Lisa Adams — Shot put
SPORT BAY OF PLENTY SERVICE TO SPORT
Gary Waller — Eastern Bay Canoe Racing Club; Miles Hammond — Whakatane Rowing Club; Monique Eades — Tauranga Hockey Association; Ron Boyle — Tauranga AFC; Vance Shoebridge — Bay of Plenty Badminton
VOLCANIC HILLS TEAM OF THE YEAR
Sam O’dea and Brad Fuller — Beach volleyball
CANON BAY OF PLENTY SECONDARY SCHOOL GIRLS’ TEAM OF THE YEAR
O¯ tu¯ moetai College Girls’ Squash Team
BAY OFFICE PRODUCTS DEPOT SECONDARY SCHOOL BOYS’ TEAM OF THE YEAR
Tauranga Boys’ College 1st XI Football Team