FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2007 NATIONAL MĀORI SPORTS AWARDS

17 October 2007

Māori sporting legends Buck Shelford, Waimarama Taumaunu, Wynton Rufer and Stacey Jones will receive special awards at the 2007 NATIONAL MĀORI SPORTS AWARDS screening on Māori Television on Saturday November 24 from 9.30 PM to 11.30 PM.

Shelford, Taumaunu and Rufer will be inducted into the Māori Sports Hall of Fame while Jones will be presented with a Trustees Award by Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust which is hosting the prestigious black tie ceremony at the Energy Events Centre in Rotorua. Sports scholarships from AUT, SFRITO, Manukau MIT and Waiariki Institute will also be presented on the night as well as the SPARC Community Initiative Award.

Last year, three-time World Cup winning captain of the New Zealand women’s rugby team, Farah Palmer, beat a world-class field of finalists to take the top prize. Palmer took out the title of senior Māori sportswoman before accepting the supreme award – the Albie Pryor Memorial Māori Sportsperson of the Year.

The finalists and special award recipients are:

Māori Sports Administrator:
Joy Ripia (Ngāti Tamanuhiri), Hamilton – Māori Hockey
Ani Haua (Ngā Ruahine, Ngāti Rauru, Maniapoto), Te Waipounamu – Māori Rugby
Martin Te Moni (Te Arawa, Kahungunu, Tūhoe), Hamilton – Māori Golf

Māori Sports Coach:
Peter Joseph (Te Arawa), Rotorua – Sevens Rugby
Donny Stevenson (Ngāti Awa), Whāngarei – Māori Rugby
Yvette McCausland– Durie (Ngāti Awa), Fielding – Netball

Disabled Māori Sportsperson:
Matthew Lack (Whakatōhea), Opotiki – Wheelchair Racing

Junior Māori Sportswoman:
Larissa Eruera (Ngāpuhi), Auckland – Golf
Te Rina Keenan (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou), Auckland – Athletics
Susie Bates (Ngāi Tahu), Dunedin – Cricket / Basketball
Paparangi Hipango (Whanganui), Wanganui – Rowing / Netball

Junior Māori Sportsman:
Jade Uru (Ngāi Tahu), Invercargill – Rowing
Zac Guildford (Ngāti Kahungunu), Napier – Rugby
Shannon Mcllroy (Ngāti Porou), Gisborne – Lawn Bowls
Kane Radford (Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Rotorua – Swimming

Senior Māori Sportsman:
Luke Thompson (Ngāpuhi), Manukau City – Tae Kwon Do
Carl Hayman (Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Dunedin – Rugby
Storm Uru (Ngāi Tahu), Cambridge – Rowing

Senior Māori Sportswoman:
Ramona Belmont (Ngāti Kahungunu), Auckland – Cue Sports
Jodi Te Huna (Ngāti Rauru), Auckland – Netball
Lizzy Igason (Ngāpuhi), North Harbour – Hockey

Te Whare Matapuna o Te Ao Māori – Māori Sports Hall of Fame:
Wayne (Buck) Shelford (Ngāpuhi), North Harbour
Waimarama Taumaunu (Ngāti Porou), Wellington
Wynton Rufer (Ngāti Porou), Auckland

Māori World Champions:
Jason Wynyard (Ngāpuhi), Waitakere – Woodchopping
Karmyn Wynyard (Tainui), Waitakere – Jack & Jill Saw
Dion Lane (Tainui), Waitakere – Woodchopping
Ramona Belmont (Ngāti Kahungunu), Auckland – Cue Sports
Luke Thompson (Ngāpuhi), Manukau City – Tae Kwon Do
Storm Uru (Ngāi Tahu), Cambridge – Rowing

Trustees Award:
Stacey Jones (Ngāpuhi), Auckland – Rugby League
The home of Māori sport, Māori Television will screen a two-hour special, 2007 NATIONAL MĀORI SPORTS AWARDS, on Saturday November 24 from 9.30 PM to 11.30 PM.

Ends

Vanessa Horan
Kaiwhakaputa (Publicist)
Māori Television
DDI: +64 9 539 7159
MOB: +64 21 928 007
EML: vanessa.horan@maoritelevision.com