Dame Lisa Carrington is a three time winner of the Supreme Halberg award Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Thirty-three finalists across six categories have been announced for the Halberg Awards with the winners to be announced in mid-February.
The Sportswoman category is set to be the most tightly contested with six finalists.
Returning Supreme winner Dame Lisa Carrington who continued her dominance on the water with three gold medals in canoe sprint at the Paris Olympics heads the list which also includes cyclist Ellesse Andrews who won gold gold and a silver medal at the velodrome, and golfer Lydia Ko who also won gold and was inducted into the sport's hall of fame.
The other finalists are cricketer Amelia Kerr who played a leading hand in the White Ferns T20 World Cup win, rower Emma Twigg and tennis player Erin Routliffe.
High jump Olympic gold medallist Hamish Kerr. Photo: Iain McGregor / www.photosport.nz
Olympic gold medallists also dominate the men's category - with high jumper Hamish Kerr and kayaker Finn Butcher heading the list of finalists, which also include tri-athlete Hayden Wilde footballer Chris Wood and jockey James McDonald.
Five finalists have been shortlisted for the Para Athlete-Para Team of the Year Award, headed up by sprinter Anna Grimaldi who won Paralympic gold in Paris
There are six finalists in the team of the year.
The White Ferns for their T20 Cricket World Cup success, Team New Zealand for claiming their third consecutive America's Cup, the Olympic champions the Black Fern Sevens, gold medal rowing pair Lucy Spoors and Brooke Francis and the two gold medal winning Olympic women's Canoe Sprint teams - the K2 and K4.
There are five finalists for coach of the year.
The include five time winner and kayak coach Gordon Walker, Black Fern Seven's coach Cory Sweeney, track cycling coach Jon Andrews along with James Sandilands and Aaron Osborne who coached Olympic Gold medallists and Sportsman of the Year finalists Hamish Kerr and Finn Butcher respectively.
Finalists for the Halberg Awards:
Sportswoman of the Year (eligible for Supreme Halberg Award)
Ellesse Andrews (cycling-track), Dame Lisa Carrington (canoe racing), Amelia Kerr (cricket), Lydia Ko (golf), Erin Routliffe (tennis), Emma Twigg (rowing),
Sportsman of the Year (eligible for Supreme Halberg Award)
Finn Butcher (canoe slalom), Hamish Kerr (athletics-field), James McDonald (horse racing), Hayden Wilde (triathlon), Chris Wood (football)
Para Athlete-Para Team of the Year (eligible for Supreme Halberg Award)
Anna Grimaldi (Para athletics), Holly Robinson (Para athletics), Anna Taylor (Para cycling), Nicole Murray (Para cycling), William Stedman (Para athletics)
Team of the Year (eligible for Supreme Halberg Award)
Black Ferns (rugby-sevens), Lucy Spoors and Brooke Francis (rowing), Team New Zealand (sailing), White Ferns (cricket), Women's K2 Sprint Kayak (canoe racing), Women's K4 Sprint Kayak (canoe racing),
Coach of the Year
Jon Andrews (cycling-track), Nils Coberger (snow sports), James Coote (rowing), Ray Davies (sailing), Michael Jacobs (Para athletics), Andrew McFadzean (canoe polo), Aaron Osborne (canoe slalom), James Sandilands (athletics), Cory Sweeney (rugby-sevens), Gordan Walker (canoe racing), Damian Wiseman (Para cycling)
Emerging Talent
Tyler Bindon (football), Cormac Buchanan (motorcycling-road), Luke Harrold (snow sports), Ethan Olivier (athletics), Levi Townley (motorcycling-motocross), Erice Van Leuven (cycling-mountain bike).
-RNZ