Butcher named Otago's supreme winner
Otago kayaker Finn Butcher shone with provincial pride from abroad last night.
The Olympic gold medallist was named the supreme winner at the Otago Sports Awards at the Edgar Centre.
He was also named sportsman of the year.
The Central Otago athlete is in Europe competing on the world cup circuit and could not attend.
But the humble 30-year-old from Alexandra gave a short speech on video.
"One of my big things, especially last year, but also throughout my whole career, is to represent my region and my community with pride," he said.
"And, you know, it was a big part of competing in Paris for me. And hopefully, I did that well.
"I had a mouthguard in the kayak cross that had the Otago colours on it and looked at that every time before I ripped in down that ramp.
"And, yeah, I think one big moment for me was where I got sent the front page of the Otago Daily Times just before the Olympics started, and I was on the front page of the sport."
Butcher joined the ranks of southern sporting greats when he won Olympic gold in men's kayak cross in August last year.
But he won over even more fans with his warmth and grounded approach.
The queen of the slopes was the night's other big winner.
Wānaka snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott was named sportswoman of the year.
She is a four-time winner of the supreme award and had another wonderful year.
She claimed two gold and one silver on the world cup circuit and claimed the overall title.
Sadowski-Synnott was overseas training but accepted the award in a video speech.
"When I look back on this past year, I am filled with an immense amount of gratitude coming back from my ankle injury," she said.
"It was a year filled with challenges and growth, and I wouldn't be here without the incredible support system that I have around me."
There was some surprise when the Otago men's 4x100m relay team was named team of the year.
They snatched their fourth consecutive national title and also beat the Australian teams at the Australian national track and field championships. They broke a 19-year-old Otago record in that race.
The Otago Sparks might have been considered the favourites for the award in some circles.
They defended the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield in dramatic fashion.
White Ferns spinner Eden Carson shook off a chest infection and thumped an unbeaten 59 from 43 balls to help her side overhaul Auckland's formidable tally of 291 for five in perhaps one of the greatest games at the University Oval.
Dunedin Paralympian Anna Grimaldi, named para athlete of the year, had another exceptional season. She brought home gold in the 200m and nabbed bronze in 100m T47 events at the Paris Paralympics.
Grimaldi also collected bronze in the 100m and silver in the long jump at the world championships in 2024.
Her coach, Michael Jacobs, was named coach of the year for his role in her success.
Wānaka freeskier Finley Melville Ives collected the junior sportsman award. The teenager had a breakthrough year, winning the 2025 freeski halfpipe world championship.
Queenstown's Ruby Star Andrews was named junior sportswoman.
She also made big strides, finishing in the top 10 on the world stage on three occasions.
Cricket umpire Chris Gaffaney was named official of the year. He made history as the first New Zealand man to officiate a T20 World Cup final.
Dunedin surfer Alexis Owen was named emerging talent. The 16-year-old became the youngest athlete to claim the New Zealand open men's surfing title earlier this year.
The innovation in sport award went to the team behind the New Zealand Grand Prix held at Highlands Motorsport Park.
The services to sport award went to Jim Hoffman, who has been described as the backbone of Otago badminton.
Hoffman has contributed to the sport as a player, coach, team manager and administrator.
It is estimated he has introduced more the 10,000 people to the sport during his more than 50 years of involvement in badminton.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
11 hours ago
- RNZ News
Canada's teen swimming sensation Summer McIntosh looks ahead to worlds after record week
Swimmer Summer Mcintosh has turned heads with a bevy of successful swims and records set this week (File photo, from the 2024 Paris Olympics). Photo: MANAN VATSYAYANA A day after Canadian sensation Summer McIntosh completed one of the greatest weeks in swimming history with a hat-trick of world records, the Toronto teenager was already looking ahead to what comes next. McIntosh became the first swimmer to break three different individual long-course world records in one meet since American Michael Phelps at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when she achieved the feat at this week's Canadian swimming trials. The 18-year-old, who headlines Canada's 28-member team named for next month's World Championships in Singapore, believes she can go even faster. "I can go over with my coach and see where to make improvements and really just use this as motivation and validation for my training so far," McIntosh said. "Just keep pushing and moving forward and work even harder." In a stunning statement ahead of the worlds, the triple Olympic champion continued her record-breaking over a glorious five days in Victoria, shattering world marks in the 400 metres freestyle plus the 200m and 400m individual medleys. In addition to her three world records, she set five Canadian marks, came within two seconds of Katie Ledecky's 800m freestyle world record set last month and clocked the fastest 200m butterfly time since super suits were banned in 2010. Moments after completing her hat-trick with the 400m individual medley on Wednesday, she made a beeline for fellow Canadian swimming great Penny Oleksiak, who once described McIntosh as "all gas, no brakes." Oleksiak, Canada's most decorated Olympian with seven medals, lifted McIntosh off her feet in a huge embrace. (File photo) Summer McIntosh competing in the women's 200m individual medley final at the TYR Pro Swim Series Westmont, in March, in Illinois. Photo: MICHAEL REAVES Then, as she had done all week, McIntosh gave her gold medal away to an awestruck young fan in the stands. McIntosh did not compete on the last day of the meet on Thursday, withdrawing from the 200m freestyle. Instead, she posed for photos and chatted with the large gathering of fans outside the Saanich Commonwealth Place recreation centre. "What a week Victoria! Had so much fun in the pool this week," McIntosh wrote on Instagram. The swimmer, who raced at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 as a 14-year-old, credited coach Fred Vergnoux - with whom she has been training in Antibes, France, since January - for "the best meet of my career." "(Vergnoux) has been absolutely amazing throughout this whole journey these past few months," McIntosh told the CBC. "He's really taken me to the next level in the sport and pushed me farther. I've gone way faster than I ever could have imagined. "So props to him, he's done absolutely amazing with me. And we've only known each other for so long, so I feel that connection so quickly." McIntosh's mother Jill Horstead swam for Canada at the 1984 Olympics while her 20-year-old sister Brooke competed for Canada in pairs figure skating before switching allegiance to Spain, winning the Spanish national championships with partner Marco Zandron. They recently split. Summer McIntosh is expected to compete in five individual events at the World Championships, which begin on 14 July with open water events before shifting to the pool on 26 July. She could continue her assault on the record books, as Phelps is the only swimmer to win five gold medals in a single worlds (2007). McIntosh then plans to move to Austin, Texas, to work with Bob Bowman, Phelps' coach for his entire career. - Reuters
Otago Daily Times
12 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
South Africa 69 runs from winning World Test Championship
Aiden Markram scored an unbeaten century as South Africa edged tantalisingly close to an unlikely success in the World Test Championship final, needing 69 runs to dethrone Australia after reaching 213-2 at stumps on the third day at Lord's on Friday. It was a dramatic turnaround in a gripping contest where Australia set their opponents a daunting 282-run chase but South Africa made full use of an increasingly benign wicket to chip away at the target. Markram, on 102, and captain Temba Bavuma, 65 not out, will return on Saturday and look to wrap up victory after putting together the highest partnership of the match (143 not out) in pursuit of the joint second-highest winning fourth-innings total in test history at Lord's. Markram, who had failed to get to three figures in his previous 16 test innings, knocked the ball to all corners and was more than ably backed up by Bavuma, whose runs came despite a hamstring strain that hampered his running between the wickets. Australia will be regretting dropping him when he was on two, not only for the runs he went on to score but the fact that slip fielder Steve Smith suffered a compound dislocation of his little finger as he spilled the catch. "Aiden and Temba were determined to continue although curbing their intensity in the running between wickets because we had to make a big call on whether Temba should continue batting," admitted batting coach Ashwell Prince. Fortunes in the contest fluctuated through a furious opening two days, dominated by the bowlers with 24 wickets falling, but the wicket went flat on Friday and there were only four wickets taken. "When we went out last night it was cloudy, that helped the ball move a bit. Today it was sunny so there was nothing in it but credit to South Africa, they batted really well," said Australian all-rounder Beau Webster. The Aussies resumed on 144-8 with a 218-run lead overnight and modest ambitions of adding 20 to 30 runs more in the morning. However, an unbeaten 58 from Mitchell Starc saw them bat for two hours until lunch to the frustration of South Africa before eventually being dismissed for 207 in their second innings. Nathan Lyon was dismissed in the third over of the day, trapped leg before wicket by Kagiso Rabada, but Starc and Josh Hazlewood put on a 59-run last wicket partnership before part-time bowler Markram finally dismissed Hazlewood for 17. South Africa came out to bat after lunch and saw Ryan Rickelton out for six runs as a full delivery from Starc, angling away from the left-hander, hit the toe of Rickelton's bat and flew up for a diving catch from wicketkeeper Alex Carey. Wiaan Mulder made a lively 27 before spooning the ball to cover where Marnus Labuschagne had an easy catch off Starc for the only other wicket to fall before Markram and Bavuma settled in for more than a session to offer their country hope of what had appeared an unlikely triumph.
Otago Daily Times
17 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Butcher named Otago's supreme winner
Otago kayaker Finn Butcher shone with provincial pride from abroad last night. The Olympic gold medallist was named the supreme winner at the Otago Sports Awards at the Edgar Centre. He was also named sportsman of the year. The Central Otago athlete is in Europe competing on the world cup circuit and could not attend. But the humble 30-year-old from Alexandra gave a short speech on video. "One of my big things, especially last year, but also throughout my whole career, is to represent my region and my community with pride," he said. "And, you know, it was a big part of competing in Paris for me. And hopefully, I did that well. "I had a mouthguard in the kayak cross that had the Otago colours on it and looked at that every time before I ripped in down that ramp. "And, yeah, I think one big moment for me was where I got sent the front page of the Otago Daily Times just before the Olympics started, and I was on the front page of the sport." Butcher joined the ranks of southern sporting greats when he won Olympic gold in men's kayak cross in August last year. But he won over even more fans with his warmth and grounded approach. The queen of the slopes was the night's other big winner. Wānaka snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott was named sportswoman of the year. She is a four-time winner of the supreme award and had another wonderful year. She claimed two gold and one silver on the world cup circuit and claimed the overall title. Sadowski-Synnott was overseas training but accepted the award in a video speech. "When I look back on this past year, I am filled with an immense amount of gratitude coming back from my ankle injury," she said. "It was a year filled with challenges and growth, and I wouldn't be here without the incredible support system that I have around me." There was some surprise when the Otago men's 4x100m relay team was named team of the year. They snatched their fourth consecutive national title and also beat the Australian teams at the Australian national track and field championships. They broke a 19-year-old Otago record in that race. The Otago Sparks might have been considered the favourites for the award in some circles. They defended the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield in dramatic fashion. White Ferns spinner Eden Carson shook off a chest infection and thumped an unbeaten 59 from 43 balls to help her side overhaul Auckland's formidable tally of 291 for five in perhaps one of the greatest games at the University Oval. Dunedin Paralympian Anna Grimaldi, named para athlete of the year, had another exceptional season. She brought home gold in the 200m and nabbed bronze in 100m T47 events at the Paris Paralympics. Grimaldi also collected bronze in the 100m and silver in the long jump at the world championships in 2024. Her coach, Michael Jacobs, was named coach of the year for his role in her success. Wānaka freeskier Finley Melville Ives collected the junior sportsman award. The teenager had a breakthrough year, winning the 2025 freeski halfpipe world championship. Queenstown's Ruby Star Andrews was named junior sportswoman. She also made big strides, finishing in the top 10 on the world stage on three occasions. Cricket umpire Chris Gaffaney was named official of the year. He made history as the first New Zealand man to officiate a T20 World Cup final. Dunedin surfer Alexis Owen was named emerging talent. The 16-year-old became the youngest athlete to claim the New Zealand open men's surfing title earlier this year. The innovation in sport award went to the team behind the New Zealand Grand Prix held at Highlands Motorsport Park. The services to sport award went to Jim Hoffman, who has been described as the backbone of Otago badminton. Hoffman has contributed to the sport as a player, coach, team manager and administrator. It is estimated he has introduced more the 10,000 people to the sport during his more than 50 years of involvement in badminton.
