Kiwi snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has claimed supreme honours at the Halberg Sports Awards ceremony in Auckland.
Sadowski-Synnott, who is 21-years-old, became the youngest winner of the top prize in 10 years. However, she was unable to be at the awards as she is currently competing overseas, so the award was accepted by her family.
Firstly, she won the sportswoman of the year award, beating Lydia Ko, Black Ferns co-captain Ruahei Demant, canoe sprint star Dame Lisa Carrington and cyclist Ellese Andrews. From here she was also named the Supreme Award ahead of the winners of the other categories.
They were fellow snow sports athlete Nico Porteous (sportsman of the year), the Black Ferns rugby side (team of the year), their coach Wayne Smith (coach of the year) and alpine sit-skier Corey Peters (para-athlete of the year).
Snow sports finished off the evening with halfpipe skier Gustav Legnavsky, who won gold at the Junior World Championships, taking out the Emerging Talent prize.
The favourite sporting moment award went to the Black Ferns with their dramatic line-out win to seal victory over England in the World Cup final. In a tribute to the late Sir Murray Halberg who died last year, Black Ferns star flanker and New Zealand Sevens captain Sarah Hirini was presented with the leadership award.
2023 Halberg Awards winners
Supreme Award: Zoi Sadowski-Synnott
Sportswoman of the year: Zoi Sadowski-Synnott
Sportsman of the year: Nico Porteous
Para athlete/team of the year: Corey Peters
Team of the year: Black Ferns
Coach of the year: Wayne Smith
Emerging talent: Gustav Legnavsky
Leadership award: Sarah Hirini
Favourite sporting moment: Black Ferns World Cup-clinching lineout win
