Hamish Kerr is growing his incredible legacy, bagging the Craigs Investment Partners Sportsperson of the Year at the Canterbury Sport and Recreation Awards in Ōtautahi Christchurch on Friday night.

It’s the second time the Olympic champion high jumper has won this prestigious accolade.

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Kerr edged out kayaker Olivia Brett, New Zealand’s top squash player Paul Coll and rower Lucy Spoors to claim the top honour.

“It’s a great achievement even to be named as one of the finalists, so that is something that I’m super proud of,” Kerr said on Thursday ahead of Friday night’s ceremony.

Adding to Kerr’s achievements, his mentor, James Sandliands, who is currently overseas with him at the Diamond League, was awarded the University of Canterbury High-Performance Coach of the Year.

“It is an honour to be nominated alongside so many strong coaches for this year’s awards,” Sandilands said via a pre-recorded message. “Especially after such an incredible year for sport across our region.”

New Zealand representative William Stedman was named Anstice Optometrists Para Athlete of the Year following his Paris silver medal in the Men’s 400m T36.

“It’s a huge honour,” Stedman said. “It was a pretty cool year last year with a lot of competitions.”

The Canterbury Rams were named Blackwells High-Performance Team of the Year following another successful New Zealand National Basketball League season.

Former coach Judd Flavell, who led the side to back-to-back championships, said the franchise is in great hands after his departure to the Tall Blacks.

“My goal was to leave it in a place where you don’t have to go overseas and look abroad; you can develop and grow our own and believe in the group that we have – that was players and the coaches,” said Flavell, also nominated for University of Canterbury High-Performance Coach of the Year. “For me, in some ways, it supersedes the championships to know that it’s in great hands.”

Hockey international Charlie Morrison won the Lincoln University Outstanding Youth in Sport Award. At just 21, Morrison is a key leader in the Canterbury Cavaliers and New Zealand Black Sticks and excelled at the 2024 Olympics.

A humble Morrison paid tribute to his family, including his brother and Black Sticks teammate Joe.

“I was quite shocked to get the award, to be fair. There were some quality candidates, so it’s awesome, [I’m] stoked,” he said.

Vui Suli Tuitaupe of Moana Vā – Navigators of Pacific Pride was awarded the Connetics Community Diversity and Inclusion Impact prize. Vui founded Moana Vā to uplift and empower Pacific Rainbow communities and received this award for commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for Pacific Pride.

Receiving the award was an honour, Vui said.

“I’m so grateful to those who do amazing mahi in our communities, so this award is also for those collectives who continue to volunteer and do the very best for our most marginalised and vulnerable communities.”

Meanwhile, the latest Christchurch City Council Sporting Legends of Canterbury inductees are Melissa Ruscoe and John Hellemans.

Ruscoe is a trailblazing Canterbury sportswoman who captained New Zealand in football, rugby and rugby sevens. She won two Rugby World Cups with the Black Ferns and earned national honours for her contributions to women's sport.

“The mana she had on the field but also off the field, wanting to upskill anyone who was there,” said former Black Ferns teammate Steph Te Ohaere-Fox.

“She was one of my idols growing up, which was cool, and she only became an idol from watching her play to seeing what she did off the field and then seeing her in the Black Ferns. I didn’t know I’d one day get to play with her in the Black Ferns, so it was cool to be alongside her, and hopefully I’ve inherited some of the mana she had.”

A Christchurch-based sports medicine doctor, Hellemans is a pioneering figure in New Zealand triathlon. He’s celebrated for his dual legacy as a world-class coach and elite athlete.

Hellemans mentored multiple world champions and Olympians, including Erin Baker and Andrea Hewitt, earning the New Zealand Order of Merit for his contributions to triathlon.

Baker said Hellemans is a worthy recipient due to his “enormous and significant contribution” to triathlon, while Hewitt described her former coach as “the GOAT” (greatest of all time).

Ruscoe and Hellemans join Julie Seymour and Graham Condon as the latest Sporting Legends of Canterbury inductees.

“These awards celebrate excellence and the values that make Canterbury sport and recreation so special - resilience, teamwork and a deep connection to our communities,” said Julyan Falloon, Sport Canterbury’s Chief Executive.

“Hamish continues to raise the bar for what’s possible in Canterbury sport and recreation. His dedication, humility and world-class performances inspire young athletes and our entire community.

“With rising stars like Charlie Morrison and trailblazers like Vui Suli Tuitaupe, the future of sport and recreation in Canterbury is incredibly bright. We’re proud to support such a diverse and inspiring group of leaders.”

Summing up the Canterbury and Sport and Recreation Awards, Kerr said: “In our sport, I’ve said it a number of times, I feel like we spend a lot of time looking forward and not a lot of time looking backwards.

“Enjoy the night, make sure you celebrate all the successes because there are a lot of them in the room.”

Canterbury Sport and Recreation Awards winners:

• Craigs Investment Partners Sportsperson of the Year: Hamish Kerr (Athletics)
• L&A Apparel Community Sportsperson of the Year: Jarred Percival (Rugby/all-round)
• Blackwells High-Performance Sports Team of the Year: Canterbury Rams (Basketball)
• ORIX Community Sports Team of the Year: Burnside West Christchurch University Cricket Club Premier Men
• Christchurch City Council Sporting Legends of Canterbury: Melissa Ruscoe and John Hellemans
• Anstice Optometrists Para Athlete of the Year: William Stedman (Para Athletics)
• Lincoln University Outstanding Youth in Sport Award: Charlie Morrison (Hockey)
• Douglas Furniture & Joinery High-Performance Official of the Year: Gareth Greenfield (Hockey)
• Sharp Community Official of the Year: Glenys McKenzie (Swimming)
• Gallagher Volunteer of the Year: Rick Houghton (BMX)
• University of Canterbury High-Performance Coach of the Year: James Sandilands (Athletics)
• UC Community Coach of the Year: Ross Soper (Rugby and Touch)
• Connetics Community Diversity and Inclusion Impact Award: Vui Suli Tuitaupe – Navigators of Pacific Pride.

Article added: Monday, May 26, 2025