Three of the ORIX NZ Canterbury Sports Awards 2019 winners have continued their reign of success smashing records, hitting milestones and bringing home medals.

With the 2020 event date set for Friday 3 April, it’s highly likely these names will return to the mix of top contenders.

According to Sport Canterbury Chief Executive Julyan Falloon, “It’s exciting to see some of Canterbury’s top athletes and previous award winners continue to have great success and achieve monumental feats.”

2019’s HEB Construction Outstanding Sportsman of the Year’ and ‘ORIX New Zealand Supreme Canterbury Sportsperson of the Year’ winner, Tom Walsh, has another record to add to his belt.  He set a personal best and Oceanian record with a throw of 22.90 m in Doha on October 5, 2019.

2019 has also seen ‘Craigs Investment Partners Outstanding Sportswoman of the Year’ winner, Kendra Cocksedge, reach an incredible milestone. She was presented with her ceremonial silver cap to mark her 50th international for the Black Ferns by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in August. She is just the second New Zealander to achieve this milestone, following on from legendary former captain, Fiao'o Faamausili.

Sophie Pascoe has once again achieved success after winning the ‘Anstice Optometrists Sportsperson or Team with a Disability of the Year.’ Pascoe claimed three new world records and gained four gold medals in the Singapore leg of the 2019 World Para Swimming World Series.

The ORIX NZ Canterbury Sports Awards is an iconic celebration of the region's most outstanding sporting achievements, where we recognise the successes of our region's athletes, from grass roots to elite levels of performance. Each year, over 700 guests attend this prestigious event to acknowledge administrators, officials, coaches, teams and athletes in a very special evening of celebration. During the evening, two new Sporting Legends of Canterbury will also be inducted into the Sporting Legends of Canterbury Hall of Fame.

Nominations are now open - Sport Canterbury sends out nominations for 13 different categories to the Regional Sporting Organisations. Each Regional Sports Association then decides upon nominees in the respective categories. Only one entry per category from each sport can be nominated which ensures that we are recognising the very best of each sport against the best of another sport.

Nominations close on 31 January 2020, with the judging taking place early next year.

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