The 2024 ILT senior sportsperson of the year category features some outstanding national and international performances across eight finalists.

This year’s category winner will be unveiled at the ILT Southland Sports Awards on June 7 at Ascot Park Hotel, along with six other categories and the coveted BDO Services to Sport acknowledgements.

The calibre of finalists for this year’s senior award highlights the accomplishments of Southlanders achieving at the highest levels of their sport.

Bowls New Zealand’s men’s player of the year Sheldon Bagrie-Howley has made an outstanding start to his international career. Highlights from his first season competing internationally include skipping the Black Jacks’ fours team to a bronze medal at the world championships on the Gold Coast.

Also hailing from Gore, Tori Peeters banked her eighth national javelin title and enjoyed her best international season, with podium finishes in Diamond League events in the United States and Poland.

Fellow eastern Southlander Ethan de Groot has built a reputation as one of the best young loosehead props in the world and was a key figure for the All Blacks during their campaign at last year’s World Cup.

Another rugby player who made big strides in the international game in 2023 was Southland Girls’ High School product Amy du Plessis. After being a squad member during the Black Ferns’ World Cup victory in 2022, du Plessis emerged strongly to claim a regular midfield spot with the team and was a finalist for Black Ferns player of the year at the New Zealand Rugby awards.

While the Silver Ferns did not have the campaign they were hoping form, Southern Steel’s Kate Heffernan emerged from the tournament with honours having been named the top midcourter at the event. Selected as a vice-captain for the Ferns, she was also selected by her peers as the inaugural winner of the Sandra Edge as the Silver Ferns player of the year.

Long-time Invercargill shearer Leon Samuels was a dominant force on the competitive shearing circuit last summer, including becoming the first South Island shearer since 1989 to win the Golden Shears open championships in March.

Southland has a proud tradition in cycling and two of its most successful sons continued their winning ways over the past 12 months. Tom Sexton was part of the New Zealand men’s team pursuit squad which won bronze at the world championships in August, while Corbin Strong has made an outstanding start to his WorldTour career, including two top 10 stage finishes during his debut Tour de France.

The ILT Southland Sports Awards are presented by Active Southland on behalf of the Southland Amateur Sports Trust and are New Zealand’s longest-running regional sports awards.

Article added: Wednesday 05 June 2024