Nicole Murray at the 2023 Cycling World Championships. Photo: SWPix
New Zealand Paralympian Nicole Murray has been shortlisted for World Sportsperson with a Disability at the 2024 Laureus World Sport Awards.
The C5 cyclist won four Road World Cup medals and three Track World Championships medals in 2023.
The Laureus World Sports Awards is the premier global sporting awards. First held in 2000, the annual event honours the greatest and most inspirational sporting achievements from the year.
Waitomo's Murray said she was stunned by the nomination, describing it as "such an honour":
"I can't really comprehend it. It's so so cool."
She is the only Kiwi shortlisted in any category. She is nominated alongside: Italian Para swimmer Simone Barlaam, Dutch Wheelchair tennis player Diede de Groot, Ukrainian Para swimmer, Danylo Chufarov, German long jumper Markus Rehm and Hungarian sprinter and long jumper Luca Ekler.
31-year-old Murray is one of the world's top ranked Para cyclists. A left-hand amputee from a childhood accident, she competes in the C5 sports class. Once a track specialist, Murray has now won a number of road cycling titles as well, making her also an extremely versatile athlete.
Nicole Murray at the 2023 Cycling World Championships. Photo: SWPix
This is the second year in a row where New Zealand has been represented on the shortlist by its Paralympic talent, with Paralympian #164 Cameron Leslie the only shortlisted New Zealander in the 2023 Laureus Awards.
Past Laureus winners include Dan Carter and (separately) the All Blacks in 2016, Sir Peter Blake in 2002, and Levi Sherwood in 2011. This year's Awards will be presented in Madrid, Spain, on 22 April.
Paralympics New Zealand CEO Greg Warnecke said that Murray's recognition is just one of the many reasons for New Zealanders to be excited about supporting Paralympians and Para athletes on their journey to Paris 2024.
"Nicole is an incredibly talented athlete and truly deserves this global recognition. Inspirational performances like Nicole's can change lives. I am thrilled about the impact that this Laureus nomination will bring, and the people who will experience the power of Para sport as a result.
"Nicole's achievements reflect the exceptional talent in Para sport in New Zealand. The upcoming Paris 2024 Paralympic Games promise to be a captivating journey for everyone: athletes, spectators, fans, commercial partners, and New Zealand overall."
Murray, who is coached by Damian Wiseman, had an incredible 2023 season, building with consistency on a phenomenal breakout year in 2022. 2023 culminated in Nicole being recognised as the world's best Female Summer Athlete of the Year at the 2023 PARA SPORT Awards.
The Waikato-based Paralympian began the year with a spectacular Para Cycling Road World Cup series, earning 2 gold and 2 silver medals. This best-in-series result allowed her to claim the series jersey for most accumulated points in the competitive women's C5 classification.
She went on to claim a world title and rainbow jersey on the track in the 2023 Cycling World Championships, along with a silver and a bronze medal competing against strong competition in the C5 Women's classification. Murray also set a new PB in the 3km Individual Pursuit of 3 min 40.946.
Murray is now ranked 3rd in Road and 2nd in Track for C5 women. She is the most consistent and most successful Para cycling C5 female athlete for 2023.
Meanwhile, the Rugby World Cup winning Springboks have been shortlisted for team of the year, with captain Siya Kolisi nominated for comeback of the year.
