Nonu Wins Wellington Sportsperson of the Year

Ma'a Nonu is the pride of Wellington Rugby after scooping the major prize at the 2016 Wellington Sportsperson of the Year Awards.

Nonu has been named as the 2016 Brendan Foot Supersite Wellington Sportsperson of the Year and the Wellington Hospitality Group Sportsman of the Year during an awards ceremony at TSB Arena in Wellington.

Six judges, all experts in their sporting and sports media fields, deliberated over 200 nominations across 12 categories with Nonu heading off Oklahoma City Thunder NBA star Steven Adams, golf sensation Daniel Hillier, Rio-bound rower James Hunter and 1500m runner Nick Willis for the top prize.

Speaking from a video message from his base in Toulon, France, Nonu said he was proud to be recognised in his home town and of what he had achieved in the last year as part of two incredible teams.

During an outstanding 12 month period the 34-year-old propelled the Hurricanes into the Super Rugby Final, before spear heading a contingent of Wellington All Blacks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Over the course of the World Cup, Nonu produced a string of world-class displays, including a spectacular 50m try in the final at Twickenham to help secure the title for the All Blacks. In December he was named New Zealand Rugby's Player of the Year.

Nonu, a product of Rongotai College and the Oriental Rongotai rugby club, made his way to the top of world rugby via the Wellington Lions, who he made his debut for in 2002 and went on to represent 54 times.

Wellington Rugby chief executive Steve Rogers said it was great to see a home grown rugby talent recognised by his peers.

"Ma'a is a true Wellingtonian and he's worn the province's colours and the Hurricanes colours with distinction over a long period of time, so to see him recognised here in his home town with such a prestigious award was great.

"We all saw his contribution to the Hurricanes and All Blacks last year and this award was a deserved recognition of a fantastic year."

His former Lions coach Chris Boyd was also a finalist at the Wellington sports awards for his work as coach of the successful 2015 Hurricanes team, but was edged out for coach of the year by golf's Kevin Smith.

The awards night also saw former All Blacks and Wellington Lions stalwarts of the 1980s Stu Wilson and Bernie Fraser inducted into the Gibson Sheat Lawyers Sports Legends of Wellington.

Wilson and Fraser were joined in the Sports Legends club by tennis' Belinda Cordwell, who pioneered New Zealand women's tennis on the international stage in the 1980s and 90s, and, posthumously, New Zealand table tennis icon Murray Dunn, who was national champion 1960-63.

Elsewhere, Surf Life Saving and swimming's Samantha Lee took home the Wellington Sports Med Sportswoman of the Year award. Rio-bound athletes Kayla Imrie (kayaking) and Ruby Tew (rowing) pushed Lee for the title alongside cricketer Sophie Devine.

Para-Swimmer Mary Fisher repeated last year's Awards success when she was named the Cigna Disabled Sportsperson of the Year.

Breaking a 19-year drought in winning the national championship title saw Netball Wellington lift the Hiremaster Team of the Year Award, narrowly edging other Wellington title winning teams the Capital Cobras (hockey) and ASB Premiership winners Team Wellington FC and Super Rugby finalists the Hurricanes.

Recently retired Wellington Phoenix defender and Yellow Fever favourite Ben Sigmund picked up The Dominion Post Personality of the Year after taking out the public vote, from a field that included Adams, Hurricanes and All Blacks star Nehe Milner-Skudder and Black Cap Grant Elliott.

Veteran broadcaster Keith Quinn was honoured as he received the Lifetime Contribution to Sport Award in a career spanning over 40 years calling sports.