New Zealand's most successful Olympian Dame Lisa Carrington has taken out the Supreme Halberg Award and been named sportswoman of the year at the 61st Halberg Awards.
Seven other awards were handed out during the live ceremony at Auckland's Spark Arena celebrating New Zealand sporting excellence from 2023.
The 34-year-old renowned kayaker claimed her 15th canoe sprint world championship title in Germany last year with victory in the K1 200m on the final day of competition.
In a highly competitive field, Carrington beat last year's Supreme Halberg Award recipient Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, cyclist Ellesse Andrews, motocross rider Courtney Duncan, and swimmer Erika Fairweather to be named sportswoman of the year.
She then claimed the supreme award ahead of sportsman of the year Aaron Gate and team of the year the Black Ferns Sevens.
It is the third time Carrington has won the supreme award and the sixth time she has been named sportswoman of the year.
Dame Lisa said in accepting the supreme award she felt "grateful and privileged" to be recognised in the sport she loves and thanked her teammates "on and off the water".
"The people that really believe in what we are trying to do on the world stage, in the K4 and individually, thank you guys so much for putting your support into us.
"I really just want to congratulate and wish the best to all our amazing athletes going out there on the world stage or even just at grass roots," she said.
New Zealand sprint kayak coach Gordan Walker was awarded coach of the year for the fifth time for guiding the New Zealand women's sprint kayak contingent to three world titles.
Meanwhile, the Black Ferns Sevens were named team of the year after being crowned the Sevens World Series champions and maintaining an undefeated streak of 36 matches.
Black Ferns coach Sir Wayne Smith was presented the leadership award for leading the team to their Rugby World Cup title on home soil last year. The result also clinched Sir Wayne World Rugby's Coach of the Year award.
New Zealand's premier cyclist Aaron Gate's victory in the men's points race and dominant results throughout the UCI Track World Championships saw him receive sportsman of the year.
![Cameron Leslie enters the pool at the start of the 100m freestyle [S4] final at the Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester.](https://tvnz-1-news-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/cameron-leslie-enters-the-pool-at-the-start-of-the-100m-free-ZEXIITVKKFEDXDE5XAXQ5BMECU.jpg?auth=2aa6fadf03fbcc15f3a822019d0ebf282146f649835321e807bc25553cd106d6&quality=70&width=800&height=449&focal=2546%2C1432)
Double New Zealand representative Cameron Leslie won para athlete of the year for his performances at the world para swimming world championships where he claimed one gold, two silvers and a bronze.
Leslie also co-captained the wheel blacks at the International Wheelchair Rugby World Cup in Paris, France in the same year.
Tauranga teenager Julian David was awarded the emerging talent accolade after becoming New Zealand's first able-bodied junior speed climbing world champion in South Korea.
In the month leading up the awards over 10,000 public votes were cast for New Zealanders favourite sporting moment, with the Warriors taking it out following their incredible run to a preliminary NRL final.
The award was accepted to cheers of "up da wahs" from the attending crowd.
Halberg Awards winners
Supreme Halberg Award: Dame Lisa Carrington (canoe racing)
Sportswoman of the Year: Dame Lisa Carrington (canoe racing).
Sportsman of the Year: Aaron Gate (cycling-track)
Team of the Year winner: Black Ferns Sevens (rugby-sevens)
Para Athlete/Para Team of the Year: Cameron Leslie (Para swimming and wheelchair rugby)
Coach of the Year: Gordon Walker (canoe racing)
Emerging Talent: Julian David (climbing)
Leadership Award: Sir Wayne Smith
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