Athletics world champions Geordie Beamish and Hamish Kerr have been nominated for sportsman of the year and will be in contention for the overall Halberg Award at a ceremony in Auckland in February.
Beamish, the 3,000m steeplechase gold medal winner at this year's track and field world championships in Tokyo, and Kerr, the high jump Olympic champion and world champion, will both have strong claims for the ultimate New Zealand sporting recognition.
There are 14 nominations for sportsman of the year, including Freeski Big Air world champion Luca Harrington; footballer Chris Wood and golfer Ryan Fox for his two victories on the PGA Tour.
Selected by a panel of former elite athletes, coaches, sports administrators, and media representatives, the finalists were chosen from 59 nominations recognising outstanding achievements from December 1, 2024 to November 30, 2025.
The winners will be announced at the ceremony at Spark Arena on Monday, February 16.
The event will also crown the Sir Murray Halberg Legacy Award, Sport New Zealand’s Leadership Award and the only publicly voted Award - New Zealand’s Favourite Sporting Moment.
Finalists for the Sportswoman, Sportsman, Para Athlete/Para Team, and Team categories are also eligible for the Supreme Halberg Award, the peak of sporting excellence in New Zealand.
Returning Supreme winner Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and fellow snow sports champion Alice Robinson have been nominated for sportswoman of the year. Other finalists include US Open women's doubles tennis champion Erin Routliffe; UCI World Series mountain bike cross-country title holder Sammie Maxwell; road cycling world champion Niamh Fisher-Black and World Rugby's women's sevens player of the year Jorja Miller.
Teenager Sam Ruthe, who this year became the youngest person in history to run a sub-four-minute mile, is nominated for the emerging talent award.
Golfer Dame Lydia Ko won the Supreme award this year after her gold-medal exploits at the 2024 Olympics and British Open victory at St Andrews.
Nominees for the 63rd ISPS HANDA Halberg Awards
2degrees Sportswoman of the Year (eligible for Supreme Halberg Award)
Niamh Fisher-Black (cycling-road), Sammie Maxwell (cycling-mountain bike), Jorja Miller (rugby-union), Grace O’Hanlon (hockey), Alice Robinson (snow sports-alpine ski racing), Erin Routliffe (tennis), Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (snow sports-snowboarding), Emma Twigg (rowing-coastal), Maddison-Lee Wesche (athletics-field).
ISPS HANDA Sportsman of the Year (eligible for Supreme Halberg Award)
Geordie Beamish (athletics-track), Dylan Brown (rugby-league), Erin Clark (rugby-league), Paul Coll (squash), Nick Collier (canoe slalom), Ryan Fox (golf), Luca Harrington (snow sports-freeskiing), Hamish Kerr (athletics-field), Charlie Morrison (hockey), Matthew Payne (motorsport), Liam Potts (softball), Oliver Puchner (canoe slalom), Joseph Tapine (rugby-league), Chris Wood (football).
ISPS HANDA Para Athlete/Para Team of the Year (eligible for Supreme Halberg Award)
Lisa Adams (Para athletics-field), Danielle Aitchison (Para athletics), Devon Briggs (Para cycling-track), Emma Foy and Jessie Hodges (Para cycling-track), Anna Grimaldi (Para athletics-track), Adam Hall (Para snow sports–alpine ski racing), Cameron Leslie (swimming), Nicole Murray (Para cycling-track), Holly Robinson (Para athletics-field), William Stedman (Para athletics-track), Siobhan Terry (Para cycling-track).
ISPS HANDA Team of the Year (eligible for Supreme Halberg Award)
Auckland FC (football), Black Ferns Sevens (rugby-sevens), New Zealand Black Sox (softball), New Zealand Kiwis (rugby-league), Men’s Team Pursuit: Nick Kergozou, Tom Sexton, Keegan Hornblow and Marshall Erwood (cycling-track), Ben Taylor and Oliver Welch (rowing).
Buddle Findlay Coach of the Year
Darren Bazeley (football), Brendon Cameron (Para cycling-track), John Gatfield (swimming), Stacey Jones (rugby-league), Thomas Makea (softball), Hamish McDougall (snow sports-freeski), Mike Rodger (rowing), James Sandilands (athletics), Cory Sweeney (rugby-sevens).
Sky Sport Emerging Talent
Luke Brooke-Smith (football), Lily Greenough (cycling-BMX), Lily Houben (mixed martial arts), Rocco Jamieson (snow sports-snowboarding), Ivana Lauitiiti (rugby-league), Yanhao (Dwayne) Li (ice figure skating), Finley Melville Ives (snow sports-freeski), Zoe Pedersen (swimming and surf lifesaving), Sam Ruthe (athletics), Braxton Sorensen-McGee (rugby-union).
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