The Halberg Awards are a set of awards, given annually since 1949, recognising New Zealand's top sporting achievements. They are named for New Zealand middle-distance runner and Olympic gold medalist Sir Murray Halberg. The initial award was handed out in 1949, and continued until 1960 under the auspices of the NZ Sportsman magazine. Since 1963, the awards have been organised by the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation, and the number of award categories has grown to eight.
History The annual award was started in 1949 by NZ Sportsman magazine founders Maurice O’Connor and Jack Fairbairn. The award was designed by them and bought from Walker and Hall for £195 NZ. The original inscription on the trophy was Fairburn and O’Connors words: "The New Zealand Sportsman's Trophy to be awarded annually to the New Zealand athlete whose personal performances or example, has had the most beneficial effect on the advancement of sport in the country". Awarding of the New Zealand Sportsman's Trophy ceased along with publication of NZ Sportsman in 1960.
After a two-year hiatus, Murray Halberg revived the event in 1963 through the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation. The rules were altered in 1971 to allow teams to win the award, which that year went to the New Zealand eight.
The Awards are presented at a dinner which traditionally rotates between the New Zealand cities of Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland, and which in recent years has been broadcast live on television. Over time, the award was expanded to include New Zealand Sportswoman of the year, New Zealand Team of the year, Sky Sport Coach of the year, Emerging Talent and Halberg Disability Sport Foundation Disabled Sportsperson of the Year awards, as well as the Lion Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, the Sport New Zealand Leadership Award and an award for New Zealand's Favourite Sporting Moment. The award was eventually renamed in Murray Halberg's honour, and since then the supreme award has been known as the Halberg award.
The Awards help the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation to raise funds, which are then used to enhance the lives of physically disabled young people, their families and communities, by enabling them to participate in sport.
The awards for 2019 were held on 13 February 2020, prior to COVID-19 pandemic halting large events. With international sporting events during 2020 affected by COVID-19 pandemic, it was decided to award a decade championship at the 2021 ceremony. The previous winners between 2010 and 2019 across the eight award categories are eligible. The decade awards were scheduled for 18 February 2021 to be held in Auckland. After the Auckland region went to COVID-19 Level 3 on 15 February 2021, the Halberg Awards were postponed. The 59th awards were held on February 23, 2022, with audience restrictions because of the COVID-19 red alert level.
Winners
Supreme Award
The annual award was started in 1949 by NZ Sportsman magazine founders Jack Fairburn and Maurice O’Connor to be awarded annually to the New Zealand athlete whose personal performances or example have had the most beneficial effect on the advancement of sport in New Zealand, as selected by a team of national sporting journalists. The title was "Sportsman of the Year Award" which was awarded annually until 1960 and was discontinued until 1963 when a charity set up by the 1958 winner, Murray Halberg, continued the event from 1963 onwards. The Halberg Disability Sport Foundation renamed the award in 1987 to the Halberg Award, and started having gender-specific awards, introducing the Supreme Award as a new category chosen from all other award categories.
Hence, the table below shows the (gender-neutral) Sportsman of the Year Award winners as determined by NZ Sportsman (1949–1960), the Sportsman of the Year Award winners as determined by the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation (1963–1986), and the Halberg Award from 1987 onwards.
Year Name Sport 1949 Bert Sutcliffe Cricket 1950 Yvette Williams Athletics 1951 Ron Jarden Rugby 1952 Yvette Williams Athletics 1953 Barry Brown Boxing 1954 Bob Charles Golf 1955 John Reid Cricket 1956 Norman Read Athletics 1957 Philippa Gould Swimming 1958 Murray Halberg Athletics 1959 Don Clarke Rugby 1960 Peter Snell Athletics 1961 No award 1962 1963 Bob Charles Golf 1964 Peter Snell Athletics 1965 Wilson Whineray Rugby 1966 Roy Williams Athletics 1967 Denny Hulme Motorsport 1968 Mike Ryan Athletics 1969 Chris Bouzaid Sailing 1970 Harry Kent Cycling 1971 New Zealand rowing eight Rowing 1972 New Zealand rowing eight Rowing 1973 Glenn Turner Cricket 1974 Dick Tayler Athletics 1975 John Walker Athletics 1976 John Walker Athletics 1977 Ivan Mauger Motorsport 1978 Gary Hurring Swimming 1979 Ivan Mauger Motorsport 1980 Richard Hadlee Cricket 1981 Allison Roe Athletics 1982 New Zealand rowing eight Rowing 1983 Chris Lewis Tennis 1984 Ian Ferguson Canoeing 1985 Susan Devoy Squash 1986 Richard Hadlee Cricket 1987 All Blacks Rugby 1988 Mark Todd Equestrian 1989 Erin Baker Triathlon 1990 Peter Blake Sailing 1991 Philippa Baker Rowing 1992 Annelise Coberger Alpine skiing 1993 Eisenhower Trophy Team Golf 1994 Philippa Baker & Brenda Lawson Rowing 1995 Team New Zealand Sailing 1996 Danyon Loader Swimming 1997 Beatrice Faumuina Athletics 1998 Rob Waddell Rowing 1999 Rob Waddell Rowing 2000 Rob Waddell Rowing 2001 Caroline & Georgina Evers-Swindell Rowing 2002 Tall Blacks Basketball 2003 Silver Ferns Netball 2004 Sarah Ulmer Cycling 2005 Michael Campbell Golf 2006 Mahé Drysdale Rowing 2007 Valerie Vili Athletics 2008 Valerie Vili Athletics 2009 Valerie Vili Athletics 2010 All Whites Football 2011 All Blacks Rugby 2012 Hamish Bond & Eric Murray Rowing 2013 Lydia Ko Golf 2014 Hamish Bond & Eric Murray Rowing 2015 All Blacks Rugby 2016 Lisa Carrington Canoeing 2017 Team New Zealand Yachting 2018 Tom Walsh Athletics 2019 Silver Ferns Netball 2020not awarded (COVID-19 pandemic) 2021 Lisa Carrington Canoeing 2022 Zoi Sadowski-Synnott Snowboarding 2023 Lisa Carrington Canoeing 2024 Lydia Ko Golf 2025 Hamish Kerr Athletics
Sportsman of the Year Year Name Sport 1987 Richard Hadlee Cricket 1988 Mark Todd Equestrian 1989 Richard Hadlee Cricket 1990 Peter Blake Yachting 1991 Martin Crowe Cricket 1992 Danyon Loader Swimming 1993 Phil Tataurangi Golf 1994 Danyon Loader Swimming 1995 Jonah Lomu Rugby 1996 Danyon Loader Swimming 1997 Jeff Wilson Rugby 1998 Rob Waddell Rowing 1999 Rob Waddell Rowing 2000 Rob Waddell Rowing 2001 Cameron Brown Triathlon 2002 Craig Perks Golf 2003 Ben Fouhy Canoeing 2004 Hamish Carter Triathlon 2005 Michael Campbell Golf 2006 Mahé Drysdale Rowing 2007 Mahé Drysdale Rowing 2008 Scott Dixon Motorsport 2009 Mahé Drysdale Rowing 2010 Richie McCaw Rugby 2011 Richie McCaw Rugby 2012 Mahé Drysdale Rowing 2013 Scott Dixon Motorsport 2014 Brendon McCullum Cricket 2015 Kane Williamson Cricket 2016 Mahé Drysdale Rowing 2017 Tom Walsh Athletics 2018 Tom Walsh Athletics 2019 Israel Adesanya Mixed martial arts 2020not awarded (COVID-19 pandemic) 2021 Kane Williamson Cricket 2022 Nico Porteous Freeskiing 2023 Aaron Gate Cycling 2024 Hamish Kerr Athletics 2025 Hamish Kerr Athletics
Sportswoman of the Year Year Name Sport 1987 Susan Devoy Squash 1988 Susan Devoy Squash 1989 Erin Baker Triathlon 1990 Karen Holliday Cycling 1991 Phillippa Baker Rowing 1992 Annelise Coberger Alpine Skiing 1993 Susan Devoy Squash 1994 Sarah Ulmer Cycling 1995 Marnie McGuire Golf 1996 Barbara Kendall Sailing 1997 Beatrice Faumuina Athletics 1998 Barbara Kendall Sailing 1999 Barbara Kendall Sailing 2000 Leilani Joyce Squash 2001 Melissa Moon Athletics 2002 Barbara Kendall Sailing 2003 Irene van Dyk Netball 2004 Sarah Ulmer Cycling 2005 Kate McIlroy Athletics 2006 Valerie Vili Athletics 2007 Valerie Vili Athletics 2008 Valerie Vili Athletics 2009 Valerie Vili Athletics 2010 Valerie Adams Athletics 2011 Valerie Adams Athletics 2012 Valerie Adams Athletics 2013 Lydia Ko Golf 2014 Lydia Ko Golf 2015 Lydia Ko Golf 2016 Lisa Carrington Canoeing 2017 Lisa Carrington Canoeing 2018 Lisa Carrington Canoeing 2019 Lisa Carrington Canoeing2020not awarded (COVID-19 pandemic) 2021 Lisa Carrington Canoeing 2022 Zoi Sadowski-Synnott Snowboarding 2023 Lisa Carrington Canoeing 2024 Lydia Ko Golf 2025 Zoi Sadowski-Synnott Snowboarding
Team of the Year Year Name Sport 1987 All Blacks Rugby 1988 Paul MacDonald & Ian Ferguson Canoeing 1989 New Zealand national netball team Netball 1990 Steinlager Crew Yachting 1991 Eisenhower Trophy Team Golf 1992 Auckland rugby union team Rugby 1993 Eisenhower Trophy Team Golf 1994 Philippa Baker & Brenda Lawson Rowing 1995 Team New Zealand Yachting 1996 All Blacks Rugby 1997 All Blacks Rugby 1998 Equestrian Eventing Team Equestrian 1999 Black Caps Cricket 2000 Team New Zealand Sailing 2001 Caroline & Georgina Evers-Swindell Rowing 2002 Caroline & Georgina Evers-Swindell Rowing 2003 Silver Ferns Netball 2004 Caroline & Georgina Evers-Swindell Rowing 2005 George Bridgewater & Nathan Twaddle Rowing 2006 All Blacks Rugby 2007 Men's coxless four Rowing 2008 Caroline & Georgina Evers-Swindell Rowing 2009 Hamish Bond & Eric Murray Rowing 2010 All Whites Football 2011 All Blacks Rugby 2012 Hamish Bond & Eric Murray Rowing 2013 All Blacks Rugby 2014 Hamish Bond & Eric Murray Rowing 2015 All Blacks Rugby 2016 Peter Burling & Blair Tuke Sailing 2017 Team New Zealand Yachting 2018 Black Ferns Sevens Rugby 2019 Silver Ferns Netball 2020not awarded (COVID-19 pandemic) 2021 Black Caps Cricket 2022 Black Ferns Rugby 2023 Black Ferns Sevens Rugby 2024 Women's K4 sprint kayak Canoe racing 2025 Black Ferns Sevens Rugby
Para Athlete or Team of the Year Year Name Sport 2011 Sophie Pascoe Swimming 2012 Sophie Pascoe Swimming 2013 Sophie Pascoe Swimming 2014 Mary Fisher Swimming 2015 Sophie Pascoe Swimming 2016 Liam Malone Athletics 2017 Sophie Pascoe Swimming 2018 Adam Hall Alpine skiing 2019 Sophie Pascoe Swimming2020 not awarded (COVID-19 pandemic) 2021 Sophie Pascoe Swimming 2022 Corey Peters Skiing 2023 Cameron Leslie Swimming and wheelchair rugby 2024 Anna Grimaldi Athletics 2025 Danielle Aitchison Athletics
Coach of the Year Year Name Sport 1987 Brian Lochore Rugby 1988 Lois Muir Netball 1989 Lyn Parker Netball 1990 Ron Cheatley Cycling 1991 Graham Lowe Rugby league 1992 Duncan Laing Swimming 1993 Grant Clements Golf 1994 not awarded 1995 not awarded 1996 Duncan Laing Swimming 1997 Les Mills Athletics 1998 Ron Cheatley Cycling 1999 Dick Tonks Rowing 2000 Don Tricker Softball 2001 Tab Baldwin Basketball 2002 Tab Baldwin Basketball 2003 Ruth Aitken Netball 2004 Dick Tonks Rowing 2005 Dick Tonks Rowing 2006 Graham Henry Rugby 2007 Kirsten Hellier Athletics 2008 Kirsten Hellier Athletics 2009 Dick Tonks Rowing 2010 Ricki Herbert Football 2011 Graham Henry Rugby 2012 Dick Tonks Rowing 2013 Steve Hansen Rugby 2014 Anthony Peden Cycling 2015 Steve Hansen Rugby 2016 Gordon Walker Canoeing 2017 Gordon Walker Canoeing 2018 Gordon Walker Canoeing 2019 Noeline Taurua Netball2020not awarded (COVID-19 pandemic) 2021 Gordon Walker Canoeing 2022 Wayne Smith Rugby 2023 Gordon Walker Canoeing 2024 Gordon Walker Canoeing 2025 James Sandilands Athletics
Emerging Talent Award Year Name Sport 2006 Rebecca Spence Duathlon & cycling 2007 Emma Twigg Rowing 2008 Jossi Wells Skiing 2009 Sam Webster Cycling 2010 Gareth Kean Swimming 2011 Jacko Gill Athletics 2012 Lydia Ko Golf 2013 Gabrielle Fa'amausili Swimming 2014 Regan Gough Cycling 2015 Eliza McCartney Athletics 2016 Campbell Stewart Cycling 2017 Ellesse Andrews Cycling 2018 Maddi Wesche Athletics 2019 Alice Robinson Alpine skiing2020not awarded (COVID-19 pandemic) 2021 Erika Fairweather Swimming 2022 Gustav Legnavsky Freeskiing 2023 Julian David Sport climbing 2024 Tyler Bindon Football 2025 Sam Ruthe Athletics
Favourite Sporting Moment The Favourite Sporting Moment is decided by a public vote, unlike the other awards which are decided by a judging panel.