The Olympic and world champion high jumper was crowned the supreme winner at the Halberg Awards in Auckland last night. The 29-year-old, who was born in Dunedin, also secured the Diamond League crown in Zurich and was awarded the Lonsdale Cup by the New Zealand Olympic Committee. Kerr held off athletics team-mate Geordie Beamish, freeskier Luca Harrington, footballer Chris Wood and golfer Ryan Fox to win the sportsman of the year title. They held off strong competition from Auckland FC, world champion rowers Ben Taylor and Oliver Welch, the Kiwis, the Black Sox and the men’s team pursuit track cycling squad. Black Ferns rookie and World Rugby breakthrough player of the year Braxton Sorensen-McGee, golf champion Cooper Moore, BMX junior elite world champion Lily Greenough, freeski halfpipe world champion Finley Melville Ives and Zoe Pedersen, for an exceptional year across swimming and surf lifesaving, were finalists.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 16, 2026 15:34 UTC