Will Johnston  Sports News Taranaki

New Zealand’s fastest female sprinter Zoe Hobbs is Taranaki’s sportsperson of the year.

The 26-year-old claimed the top prize at the Taranaki Sports Awards dinner at the Devon Hotel on Friday night along with winning the sportswoman of the year award for the second consecutive year.

Speaking at the event, Hobbs said she was honoured to be recognised.

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity to grow up here [in Taranaki],” she said. “It’s given me and my sporting life a chance to be able to take part in different sports.”

Hobbs thanked her past and present support team, including her current coach James Mortimer and parents.

She qualified for the Olympics during a groundbreaking year and her preparations for the event are underway. If selected, she will be the first female sprinter to represent New Zealand at the event since 1976.

“My campaign has already begun for that and I’m really thankful for all of the support I’ve received in my entire athletic journey.”

Hobbs’ season is packed with highlights. She ran the fastest 100m on Australian soil with a 10.97 second victory and clocked a new personal best and New Zealand record of 10.96 seconds in July.

Domestically, Hobbs reset the New Zealand resident record and the all-comers record twice and broke the New Zealand record three times, picking up her seventh consecutive 100m title. It came after a successful 2022, where she broke the New Zealand 100m record five times from December 2021 to July 2022.

Hobbs was up against Rugby World Cup winner Kendra Cocksedge, Silver Fern Kelly Jury and Black Sticks players Hope Ralph and Anna and Casey Crowley.

New Zealand’s top axeman Jack Jordan claimed the sportsman of the year award after winning the Timbersports World Trophy for the second year in a row.

Jordan won the trophy in a world record time of 53.56 seconds, more than a second quicker than the previous record, despite a few hiccups during the event’s four disciplines, which could have seen him lose the title. He picked up a string of placings in the Australian Axeman competition and won the New Zealand Pro Championship for the third year running.

It was stiff opposition for Jordan too with swimmer Zac Reid, golfer Sam Jones and Ironman Joe Collins nominated.

Jamie Reid and Robin Smith’s speed golf exploits helped them win the senior team award.

Sport Taranaki chief executive Michael Carr said the event was an amazing platform to celebrate, recognise and reflect on amazing individual, team and club achievements.

“We have such a diverse, hardworking and talented pool of athletes, coaches and administrators in a wide range of sports within our region,” he said.

“The strength of Taranaki people was amplified by the inspirational stories of incredible community feats and contributions that we heard throughout the night.”

He was thrilled to see a record 95 nominees and said the calibre was world-class across all the categories.

• Click here for full list of results and photos.
• See Sports News Taranaki for more great local sporting coverage.

Article added: Thursday 23 November 2023