Black Ferns Sevens captain Sarah Hirini said her special night at the New Zealand Rugby awards capped off a year in which she experienced the “highest highs and lowest lows”.
Hirini was named Black Ferns Seven Player of the Year, Māori Player of the Year and was awarded the supreme prize - the Kelvin R. Tremain Memorial Player of the Year Award - on Wednesday evening after her stellar 2021 season.
The 29-year-old led the New Zealand women to their first Olympics gold medal at Tokyo earlier this year with the team and their coaches also recognised last night with wins of their own.
Hirini told reporters on Thursday afternoon the evening was a special way to wrap a tough year.
"It's been a pretty challenging year, to be honest," Hirini said.
"I've probably had the highest of highs and definitely one of the lowest of lows that could ever happen."
Hirini lost her mother in March shortly before the Black Ferns Sevens went into final preparations for the Tokyo Olympics.
While the loss still remained "really raw" for the campaign, Hirini paid tribute to her mum shortly after the gold medal final, telling her she loved her as she looked up at the Tokyo sky in an emotional interview.
She said on Thursday she drew strength this year from her pride to represent the Black Ferns Sevens and her family.
"Even though we went through something at the start of the year before the Olympics, to be able to give them something special to celebrate has been really nice."
Hirini added she forgot to tell her father the awards ceremony was even on.
"He was gutted he missed it, but just hearing him say what it means to him and seeing a smile on his face made me pretty happy."
Hirini's busy year isn't over though with the skipper revealing the reason she could only be interviewed on Thursday afternoon was because she had spent the morning working towards her pilot's license.
"I'm living at aeroclub," she said.
"I've been at the airport since seven this morning and I'll probably be here until seven tonight."
When she wraps up her testing though, it'll back home to friends and family for a quiet Christmas in Taupō.
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