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The Evers-Swindells - Source: Photosport -
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The annual debate around who is New Zealand's best athlete has intensified this year with the sports champion of the decade to be announced at the Halberg Awards on Thursday night.
The country's top sporting personalities are coming together for the awards dinner in Auckland.
While Valerie Vili and Mahe Drysdale are the favourites for the 2009 Halberg Award, there is plenty of discussion around the decade winner.
Vili, Drysdale, Rob Waddell, Michael Campbell, Sarah Ulmer, the Evers-Swindell twins, the Silver Ferns and the 2002 Tall Blacks are the finalists for the gong.
Danyon Loader was the sports champion of the 1990s, while Sir Richard Hadlee won the award in the 1980s.
Details of all the nominees are here.
Rugby commentator and sport writer John McBeth told tvnz.co.nz he thinks rugby and the All Blacks should get much more recognition in the annual awards with it being 45 years since a rugby player won the supreme award.
What do you think? Who should win the athlete of the decade? Have your say on the Halbergs messageboard below
Add a Comment:
Post new commentk1wibeca said on 2010-02-05 @ 06:30 NZDT: Report abusive post
2001 must've been a prety lean year for us, sporting wise if a Silver at their Worlds' is enough for the Evers-Swindell's to have won the Halburg Award for that year.
mwadsworth said on 2010-02-04 @ 16:33 NZDT: Report abusive post
Jeez why is it u guys are so critical of the All Blacks don't forget that it wasn't a full strength squad and they finished top of the IRB standings (above SA). There is no such thing as a perfect team.
radar832004 said on 2010-02-04 @ 16:00 NZDT: Report abusive post
The Halberg awards are for a momentous sporting achievements. The all backs haven't done anything that great since they won the world cup last! The All Whites making it to the world cup is! Valerie Villi winning gold at biejing the twins winning gold, Mahe drysdale rowing his heart and his guts out at beijing was inspiring, the All Whites making it to the world cup was amazing i have never seen a bigger better crowd ever in NZ. They were to me the most momentous and amazing sporting achievements
lazza33 said on 2010-02-04 @ 14:13 NZDT: Report abusive post
The All Blacks don't even deserve to make the nominations yes they retained the bledisloe cup but they had a really iffy northern Hemisphere tour play pathetically against france and italy when they were down her and, lets face it got thrashed by the Springbox good to see common sense prevail go the All Whites!
vilisoni said on 2010-01-03 @ 10:50 NZDT: Report abusive post
I really hope Valarie Vili WINS everything. She is representing us in a big way. she has dominated her sport for the last 5 years, and she is getting closer to getting a World Record.