In 2020, the ORIX NZ Canterbury Sports Awards is making history – recording its largest ever field of nominees and inviting us to celebrate as a sporting community, no matter where we are in the world.

From Florida to Russia to Diamond Harbour, a worldwide audience of 10,000 people is expected to view the celebration, which culminates on Friday 19 June for the Supreme Sportsperson of the Year Award presentation, and finale of the Christchurch and Greater Canterbury regional celebration of sporting achievement.

The week’s festivities kick off at 7pm each evening – Wednesday 17, Thursday 18 and Friday 19 June.

Awards events representing Mid and South Canterbury were streamed last week, and remain accessible to view by following the Sport Canterbury facebook page.

“It’s no secret that sport has been placed under immense pressure by the Covid-19 pandemic, so we hope that this event will go some way toward providing something positive for the sector to focus on,” says Sport Canterbury Chief Executive Julyan Falloon.

This year the number of nominations increased to 160 across 40 different codes, with nine new sports coming on board to recognise the successes of their top athletes.

American Football, Croquet, Dragon Boating, Martial Arts, Powerlifting, Table Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee and Yachting are some of the sports that have nominated athletes for the first time.The Lifetime Achievement Award will also be celebrated across the first two nights, being Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 June.Sport Canterbury Chief Executive Julyan Falloon reflects on the positive aspect of adapting the event in 2020. “The circumstances around Covid-19 have encouraged innovation, which has allowed us to take these celebrations far wider than ever before. It has really strengthened our commitment to see Cantabrians honoured for their achievements on the sporting stage, their achievements as the best of the best in New Zealand, and in many cases, in the world.”

The Awards will be presented across both Sport Canterbury and We Are Canterbury social media channels, to ensure as much recognition for the nominees, finalists and winners as possible. 

Follow Sport Canterbury on Facebook to watch the livestreams and to access all videos - https://www.facebook.com/sportcanterburynz/ 

Article added: Thursday 18 June 2020