Drysdale takes Halberg Award
World Champion Rower Mahe Drysdale took the supreme award at tonights 56th Halberg awards to recognise outstanding sports achievement by New Zealanders at Sky City in Auckland.
Drysdale also took out the Westpac Sportsmanof the year award earlier in the night before edging out Commonwealth Gold Medalist Valeri Villi, who won Sportswoman, and the All Blacks, who won Sports Team.
The award capped of a hugely successful year for drysdale which included defending the world single scull title in world best time at Eton, along with success in Henly, Switzerland and Turin.
Drysdale recieved the award from the only person to have won the Halberg award three times, former Olympic Rower and representative rugby player Rob Waddell.
Other finalists for sports man of the year were Moss Burmester (swimming), Kalon Dobbin (speed skating), Richie McCaw (rugby) and Nick Willis (athletics).
Sportswoman of the Year finalists, won by Valerie Vili, were Hannah McLean (swimming), Farah Palmer (rugby) and Sam Warriner (triathlon).
A new category added for emerging talent, which is restricted to athletes under 21 and recieves a $25,000 scholarship from westpac.
The inaugural Westpac Emerging Talent award was won by North Harbour athlete Rebecca Spence, winner of the world junior duathlon and the world junior cycling time trial. The other finalists were Katherine Prumm (motorcycling), Graham Oberlin-Brown (rowing) and Nathan Cohen (rowing).
All Black Coach, Graham Henry beat other finalists Ruth Aitken (netball), Jan Cameron (swimming), Kirsten Hellier (athletics) and Richard Tonks (rowing) for the SPARC Coach of the Year award.
Drysdale also took out the Westpac Sportsmanof the year award earlier in the night before edging out Commonwealth Gold Medalist Valeri Villi, who won Sportswoman, and the All Blacks, who won Sports Team.
The award capped of a hugely successful year for drysdale which included defending the world single scull title in world best time at Eton, along with success in Henly, Switzerland and Turin.
Drysdale recieved the award from the only person to have won the Halberg award three times, former Olympic Rower and representative rugby player Rob Waddell.
Other finalists for sports man of the year were Moss Burmester (swimming), Kalon Dobbin (speed skating), Richie McCaw (rugby) and Nick Willis (athletics).
Sportswoman of the Year finalists, won by Valerie Vili, were Hannah McLean (swimming), Farah Palmer (rugby) and Sam Warriner (triathlon).
A new category added for emerging talent, which is restricted to athletes under 21 and recieves a $25,000 scholarship from westpac.
The inaugural Westpac Emerging Talent award was won by North Harbour athlete Rebecca Spence, winner of the world junior duathlon and the world junior cycling time trial. The other finalists were Katherine Prumm (motorcycling), Graham Oberlin-Brown (rowing) and Nathan Cohen (rowing).
All Black Coach, Graham Henry beat other finalists Ruth Aitken (netball), Jan Cameron (swimming), Kirsten Hellier (athletics) and Richard Tonks (rowing) for the SPARC Coach of the Year award.