Hosea Gear Wins Supreme Maori Sportsperson Awards

All Black Hosea Gear – now the country’s top wing – capped off a remarkable year to take out the supreme prize at the 2010 National Maori Sports Awards in Auckland tonight (Saturday December 4).

Gear beat a world-class field of finalists to win both Senior Maori Sportsman and the Albie Pryor Memorial Maori Sportsperson of the Year.

Strong seasons for the Hurricanes and Lions culminated with a Commonwealth Games Gold Medal in Delhi for the 1.88m, 100kg powerhouse wing. All Blacks selection resulted in Gear scoring five tries in four tests during the team’s Backing Black tour.

Champion Maori athletes from the past two decades were honoured at the 20th National Maori Sports Awards hosted by Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa at TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre in Manukau.

The 2010 award recipients are:

THE ALBIE PRYOR MAORI SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD – RONGOMARAEROA: Hosea Gear (Ngati Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki) – rugby
SENIOR MAORI SPORTSMAN – TE TAMA-A-TANENUIARANGI: Hosea Gear (Ngati Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki) – rugby
SENIOR MAORI SPORTSWOMAN – HINEAHUONE: Joelle King (Ngati Porou) – squash

JUNIOR MAORI SPORTSMAN – TE TAMA-A-RANGINUI: Reuben Te Rangi (Ngapuhi) – basketball
JUNIOR MAORI SPORTSWOMAN – TE TAMAHINE-A-PAPATUANUKU: Dayna Maree Turnbull (Ngai Tahu) – basketball, touch
DISABLED MAORI SPORTS PERSON – TE TOIHUAREWA: Cameron Leslie (Ngapuhi) – swimming
MAORI SPORTS COACH – TE MARU O TUMATAUENGA: Stephen Kearney (Te Atiawa) – rugby league

MAORI SPORTS ADMINISTRATOR – MAUI TIKITIKI-A-TARANGA: Patricia Rangi (Te Atiawa) – hockey
MAORI UMPIRE/REFEREE – TE ARATIATIA: Henry Perenara (Ngati Rangitihi) – rugby league
MAORI SPORTS TEAM – NGA IKA A WHIRO: Maori All Blacks – rugby

MAORI SPORTS MEDIA AWARD – TE REO O TE PARA WHAKAWAI: Television: Beneath the Maori Moon – Bailey Mackey (Ngati Porou, Ngai Tuhoe), Black Inc Media

Maori Television will screen a two-hour broadcast on Saturday December 11 at 9.30pm.