Salute to the national sporting heroes of 2023
If courage in sport i s measured by performing when it matters most, the Football Ferns set an impressive benchmark in 2023.
As co- hosts of the Fifa Women’s World Cup, the spotlight was on the team like never before.
The Ferns had endured an underwhelming build- up, with just three wins from 23 matches, a run that included only 11 goals. The dread mood was heightened ahead of the opening game against Norway at Eden Park, with fears of a lopsided score against the European giants.
For the Ferns squad, there was added pressure. Even though nobody wanted to talk about it, everyone knew their performances would have a significant bearing on the success of the tournament locally; early ticket sales had been sluggish.
They would also play in front of the biggest global television audience for a women’s sports team from this country — with the game beamed into more than 150 countries — while the tragic Queen St shootings that morning added a sombre feel to the occasion.
But the Ferns responded in spectacular fashion. They were $ 11 outsiders at the TAB but ignored that perceived disparity from the start, with calmness, composure, desire and hunger.
The 42,137 crowd roared their approval and never really stopped, creating an atmosphere rarely seen in this country.
Individually and collectively, they were in the zone; they had never played this well.
They didn’t just seize the moment, they smashed it.
Hannah Wilkinson’s 47th- minute goal was the lift- off moment, sparking celebrations across Aotearoa, with more than a million local viewers tuned in.
Ria Percival’s late penalty miss added more theatre, before 11 agonising minutes of injury time.
When the final whistle came, it was the cue for prolonged celebrations and plenty of tears.
“So much has led to this, so many years,” said midfielder Malia Steinmetz, while captain Ali Riley was proud to “show the country who we are”.
It was so unexpected — an underdog rising to the occasion in the most spectacular way.
The result created headlines around the world and set in motion the nation’s World Cup fever, with a huge spike in ticket sales. For a period, the Ferns became household names.
There was another capacity crowd in Wellington, where the Ferns were shocked 1- 0 by the Philippines. It was unfortunate, as the home side had a goal scratched for a fractional VAR offside call, while striker Jacqui Hand hit the post with a second- half shot.
That set up the Dunedin finale against Switzerland. It was another wonderful occasion — with a huge, noisy crowd — but the Ferns couldn’t capitalise on several chances.
While there was an unmistakable sense of what might have been, there was also pride in a legacy that wouldn’t be forgotten.
They had finally won a World Cup match and captured hearts and minds across the nation in the process.
— Michael Burgess
Finalist: Mea Motu
It’s unlikely any Kiwi sportsperson has taken as long as 33- year- old Mea Motu to become an overnight sensation.
It was only about a year ago that her story, of a woman who had survived domestic violence, first emerged. It was the first time most Kiwis had heard of the long- ago amateur star who had re- emerged as a pro boxer.
Once Motu went public about her domestic violence experience with such candour and insight, it was always going to take a significant amount of the spotlight as her career took off.
But Motu the sportswoman is now taking centre stage, helped by the rising profile of her trainer Isaac Peach’s family boxing training operation.
Peach, his wife Alina and brother Boaz are taking on the boxing world from the large shed next to their Henderson Valley home.
Motu, David Light and Jerome Pampellone are among the Peach boxers to hit the headlines this year.
Isaac first spotted Motu during her promising amateur career and it was his genuineness, and brother Boaz’s, that allowed Motu to trust them.
And so a unique professional boxing career i s flourishing. Motu defeated Canadian Tania Walters to claim the IBO super bantamweight world title in Auckland. She then topped the bill in defending it twice, on the second occasion, in her home province of Northland.
It has been a big year for Motu but what lies ahead?
The IBO is considered a fringe organisation in a world full of boxing bodies; there are other belt holders for Motu to set her sights on.
In other words, there is still a long way to go for a woman who has already come a long way.
And after boxing, Motu could have even more of an impact in the area of domestic violence, where she has already challenged the system and given an authentic voice to survivors. — Chris Rattue
Finalist: Ardie Savea
Global recognition arrived for Ardie Savea this year in the form of his first men’s World Rugby Player of the Year gong.
With the Hurricanes and All Blacks, Savea has long been an inspirational figure in New Zealand rugby. But on the ultimate stage in France, the loose forward shone to capture global acclim.
Savea scored four test tries this season but it was his performances against Italy, Ireland and Argentina that stood out as the All Blacks fell agonisingly short in the World Cup final.
In the memorable quarter- final victory over Ireland, Savea carried 15 times and made 17 tackles in a t ypically relentless performance alongside All Blacks captain Sam Cane.
Savea is the fifth All Black to claim the World Rugby Player of the Year title — after Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Brodie Retallick and Beauden Barrett — and the first since 2017. He is also expected to win New Zealand Rugby’s Men’s Player of the Year award.
Next year, Savea will skip Super Rugby in favour of a six- month sabbatical in Japan. But the 30- yearold has plenty more to give and will feature prominently in All Blacks coach Scott Robertson’s plans.
While his on- field feats turned heads, off the field, Savea’s story was brought to life in a book called A One
Good Kiwi Story. All proceeds from the book will go to Kiwi Christmas Books, a charitable initiative committed to providing books to families who can’t afford to buy Christmas presents for their kids. — Liam Napier
Finalist: Liam Lawson
You never know what might happen in the wonderful world of sport.
You might wake up one morning to find the landscape of a competition has changed overnight.
That was a sensation New Zealand Formula One fans had during the Dutch Grand Prix in late August when, in the early hours of a Sunday morning, Liam Lawson was promoted for his debut race after AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo was injured in a crash.
Lawson has been the reserve driver for Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri for the past couple of years and will continue in 2024.
He was a known quantity inhouse, but in his debut at Zandvoort, Lawson showed what he can do.
The 21- year- old had just one practice session before qualifying to get used to the car and was on the back row to start the Grand Prix.
The race was hectic, with heavy rainfall and crashes complicating the racing from start to finish. Lawson handled himself well, finishing 13th and earning plaudits for his composure with limited preparation in such an eventful race.
Lawson ended up racing in five GPs, with a points finish in his third — his ninth place was at that point AlphaTauri’s best of the season — and ending one place outside the points in two others.
His performances had pundits calling for him to get a full- time seat in 2024 but he will have to bide his time again next year. — Christopher Reive
Finalist: Rachin Ravindra
Named after Indian greats Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, Rachin Ravindra lived up to that lofty billing at the Cricket World Cup.
Ravindra wasn’t meant to feature in the Black Caps’ first- choice XI in India. At 23, he had made his ODI debut only six months earlier, and headed to the tournament as a spinning all- rounder who in 12 matches had batted largely at No 7.
Then on the opening night against England, Ravindra blew away all expectations by smashing an unbeaten 123 from 96 balls.
That breakout performance came at No 3, filling in for injured skipper Kane Williamson, and Ravindra spent the rest of the World Cup dispatching opposing attacks from the top of the Black Caps order.
His next innings brought a halfcentury, and after making 75 against hosts India, Ravindra then cracked five sixes in an 89- ball knock of 116 against eventual winners Australia.
Two matches later, in scoring 108 off 94 against Pakistan, Ravindra became the first Kiwi to score three World Cup centuries. With 578 runs at an average of 64.2, he set a record for most runs at a debut tournament.
— Kris Shannon