CHRIS COGDALE
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World champions, Olympics medallists, international stars, record breakers, national champions, and ground-breaking achievers are among those celebrated in the 50-year history of the Wairarapa Times-Age Sports Awards.
World roller skating champion Marlene MacDonald won the first award and then followed names such as Olympics bronze medallist Tinks Pottinger, record-breaking cyclist Brian Lambert, All Blacks great BJ Lochore, football international Wendi Henderson, and five-time national rally champion Richard Mason and co-driver wife Sara, on the Times-Age Sports Awards honours board.
Wairarapa has an incredibly rich sporting history for a small region, and many recent achievements deserve their day in the sun just as much as previous winners.
Several outstanding successes that need to be recognised come to mind instantly but have yet to be nominated for the awards covering the period from April 1 2021 to March 31 2022.
Premier hockey champions, unbeaten championship seasons, national secondary school championship successes, international and first-class representatives, junior national champions, disabled sports stars, tireless hardworking volunteers and administrators, and outstanding coaches are just a few examples of our sportspeople and teams achieved over the past 12 months.
Who stood out on the field, the court, or the artificial turf?
Who won a club championship?
Who brought up an outstanding milestone?
Who was calm, self-assured, and ensured sport progressed with as little disruption as possible, week after week?
There’s a great sports story in every club, primary school, secondary school, every gym, and every little corner of Wairarapa, and we want to know so we can recognise our amazing sporting community.
There are 15 categories covering athletes [senior, youth, and junior], coaches, officials, administrators, volunteers, teams, clubs, and schools.
The winners of all categories will automatically become finalists for the Supreme Award.
Nominations close today and can be entered online here.
The winners will be announced at a function at the Carterton Events Centre on Wednesday, June 22.
