New Zealand police officer Matt Ratana has been posthumously named the Unsung Hero winner at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.
The late Sgt Matt Ratana Photo: BBC
Ratana, who was originally from Hawke's Bay, was shot dead in a South London police station in September while working for the Metropolitan police.
The 54-year-old was nominated by East Grinstead Rugby Club, where he was head coach at the time of his death.
His partner, Su Bushby, accepted the award on his behalf at the awards ceremony in Salford.
"I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took time to vote for Matt," she said.
"He would have felt humbled by this. Matt was a very special man, definitely one of a kind who touched so many people's lives. He lit up every room and every pitch with his presence, enthusiasm and smile.
"I am honoured to be here accepting this award tonight. Matt is and always will be my hero."
Ratana had been at East Grinstead Rugby Club for three years and managed the colts team before becoming head coach.
Having arrived at the club at a time when numbers had hugely depleted following mass departures of management and players, he led a renaissance at the club and his direct efforts with youth, women's and men's teams saw numbers at the club quadruple.
Judges for the Unsung Hero award were told how Sgt Ratana would always arrive early before training, where he would deliver a meticulously planned session before heading to work for a night shift with the police.
If he had some downtime during his shifts, he would often send messages to players, often with videos, offering training suggestions and feedback.
Player testaments told how Sgt Ratana "created a culture of believing in yourself", "thrived on giving his time and energy to others" and had a "positive impact on so many lives".
Ratana was one of 15 finalists for the Unsung Hero award, where Olympic legends and leading figures in the community sport sector selected him as winner.
-BBC
