Last night was the annual sports awards for the best sports man and woman for the year. Nominations included people from these sports: rowing, basketball, netball, cycling, sailing, surfing, cricket, rugby, football, Paralympics (for disabled people), speed skating, ice hockey, athletics, boxing, and motor racing. The winner of the sportsman of the year was the Beijing gold medal rower, Mahe Drysdale.
The rowing pair, Eric Bond and Hamish Murray, won the sports team of the year.
The sportsperson of the year was Valerie Vili who is still number one in the world in the shot put. She could have immigrated to the UK because her father was born in England. She would have made much more money from sponsorship in England because it has a bigger population but she chose to stay in New Zealand because she loves the sport and the country, not for the love of money.
The champion of the decade, from 2001 to 2009, was the rowing team of Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell, who are twin sisters. They are now married with different surnames and they have given up the sport. Listen to August 17th 2008
One winner said it was very difficult for the judges to decide who should be the winner because it was like comparing apples with oranges. All the sports are so different.
Last night’s celebrations were held at Sky City in Auckland. The awards are called the Halberg Awards, named after the famous runner, Murray Halberg, who won the 5,000 mrace in the 1962 Olympics. To find out more about Sir Murray Halberg, listen to June 2nd 2008
Questions to think about
1. How can you compare winning Olympic gold medals with winning golf tournaments, rugby tournaments, surfing or motor races? Is this like comparing apples with oranges?
2. How can you compare disabled sports people with others who are not disabled?
3. These sports awards are like the Oscars for movies. Winners get a silver cup, not money. Why are they happy about winning? |