Dame Lydia Ko wins Supreme Halberg Award

9:30 pm on 18 February 2025

RNZ Sport

Lydia Ko competing at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Photosport

Golf legend Dame Lydia Ko has won New Zealand's top sporting honour, the Supreme Halberg Award.

At a ceremony in Auckland on Tuesday night, Dame Lydia was also named Sportswoman of the Year, recognising a stellar year in which she won Olympic gold in Paris and the British Open, and was inducted into golf's Hall of Fame.

Dame Lydia headed off last year's Supreme winner Dame Lisa Carrington, track cyclist Ellesse Andrews, T20 World Cup player of the tournament Amelia Kerr and top-ranked doubles tennis player Erin Routliffe and rower Emma Twigg for the women's award.

Hamish Kerr from New Zealand in the final of the men’s high jump at Stade de France, Paris. Photo: Photosport

Olympic high jump champion Hamish Kerr was named Sportsman of the Year, ahead of kayak cross Olympic gold medallist Finn Butcher, triathlete Hayden Wilde, footballer Chris Wood and the jockey James McDonald.

New Zealand's sole Paralympic gold medallist in Paris, Anna Grimaldi, was named Para Athlete of the Year.

The women's K4 sprint kayak crew of Dame Lisa Carrington, Alicia Hoskin, Olivia Brett, and Tara Vaughan who were Olympic champions were named team of the year ahead of the Black Ferns Sevens, America's Cup winners Team New Zealand, rowers Lucy Spoors and Brooke Francis, and the T20 World Cup winners the White Ferns.

New Zealand women's K4 of Olivia Brett, Lisa Carrington, Alicia Hoskin and Tara Vaughan competing at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Photosport

Kayak coach Gordon Walker won coach of the year for a sixth time.

Other winners included footballer Tyler Bindon who won the Emerging Talent award and tennis' Marcus Daniell won the Leadership Award recognising his commitment to athlete advocacy and philanthropic efforts in the sporting community.