Clareburt Claims Baxter O'Neill Award For Fourth Consecutive Time

Winners of the 2022 Swimming NZ Awards

We are excited to congratulate winners of the 2022 Swimming NZ Awards. These awards were presented across the 5 days of competition at the 2023 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships in recognition of the outstanding performances achieved by members of our community during the 2022 calendar year.

Lewis Clareburt (Capital) took out the Baxter O'Neill Trophy as the supreme swimmer of the year for the fourth consecutive time, following his world class performances at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, as well as his promotion of the sport and leadership.

Lars Humer (Swim Dunedin) was recognised as the supreme coach of the year for the second time in recognition of the Swim Dunedin programme and coaching of performances by Erika Fairweather and Caitlin Deans on the domestic and international stage in 2022.

Dianne Farmer (Palmerston North & Swimming Manawatu) received the Jackie Clarke Award as the volunteer administrator of the year for her dedication and support for delivering swimming within the Manawatu region.

Ross Gillespie (Northland) won the Bill Matson Award for the second time as the international technical official of the year in recognition of being one of two starters at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

North Shore Swimming retained the Duncan Laing trophy as the top scoring club across the 2022 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships, the 2022 Apollo Projects NZ Age Group Swimming Championships and the 2022 Apollo Projects NZ Short Course Swimming Championships.

A list of the winners for each award are listed below in the order they were presented across the championships. We are very proud of them all and would like to congratulate them all on their achievements in 2022.

Event Livestream for Presentations

Winners the 2022 Swimming NZ Awards

The finalists have been announced in the order of presentation, with the respective time they will be awarded at the event. Please note some awards don't have finalists, so the winner will be announced at the event.

Domestic Swimmer of the Year

It is presented to a swimmer who has excelled in New Zealand competitions during the 2022 calendar year.

Finalists

• Lewis Clareburt (Capital)

• Helena Gasson (Coast)

• Carter Swift (Club 37)

• Erika Fairweather (Neptune & Swim Dunedin)

• Caitlin Deans (Neptune & Swim Dunedin)

Winner: Erika Fairweather

Erika received this award for her strong performances at both the 2022 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships and 2022 Apollo Projects NZ Short Course Swimming Championships, where she achieved world-class FINA A times across three distances.

Domestic Technical Official of the Year

It is presented to a technical official for outstanding contribution within New Zealand in the 2022 calendar year.

Finalists

• Barry Ashcroft (Auckland)

• Glenys McKenzie (Canterbury West Coast)

• Dianne Farmer (Manawatu)

• Dawn Dutton (Northland)

• Peter Deans (Otago)

• Rowan Williams (Taranaki)

• Sandra Sutcliffe (Waikato)

• Jacqui Forsythe (Wellington)

Winner: Peter Deans

Peter is the inaugural recipient of this award for his outstanding commitment and contribution to Swimming Otago competitions throughout the region, amassing more than 170 hours of officiating in the 2022 calendar year, where he was regularly the Technical Director and provided support at development meets during a time where Covid-19 restrictions impacted the delivery of events. Peter also attended every development meet in 2022 to offer training, guidance and mentorship to fellow officials.

Domestic Coach of the Year

It is presented to a coach who has excelled in New Zealand in the 2022 calendar year.

Finalists

• Gary Hollywood (Capital)

• Michael Weston (Coast)

• Mitch Nairn (Club 37)

• Lars Humer & Kurt Crosland (Swim Dunedin)

Winner: Lars Humer & Kurt Crosland

Lars and Kurt received this inaugural award for their joint coaching performance of Erika Fairweather at both the 2022 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships and 2022 Apollo Projects NZ Short Course Swimming Championships, where she achieved FINA A times across three distances. Kurt and Lars also supported other members in the Swim Dunedin squad to achieve FINA A times, such as Caitlin Deans where she made her first Aquablack team in the 1500m Freestyle.

Domestic Para Coach of the Year

It is presented to a Para swimming coach who has excelled in New Zealand in the 2022 calendar year.

Finalists

• Tom Onley (Whangarei)

• Mat Woofe (Hamilton Aquatics)

• Frank Tourelle (SwimZone Racing)

Winner: Tom Onley

Tom received this inaugural award for his coaching performance of Cameron Leslie at the 2022 Apollo Projects Swimming Championships, which was highlighted by his World Record breaking performance in the final of the 50m Freestyle.

Domestic Para Swimmer of the Year

It is presented to a Para swimmer who has excelled in New Zealand in the 2022 calendar year.

Finalists

• Cameron Leslie (Whangarei)

• Nikita Howarth (Hamilton Aquatics)

• Erin Knox (SwimZone Racing)

Winner: Cameron Leslie

Cameron received this inaugural award for his strong performances at the 2022 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships, which was highlighted by his World Record breaking performance in the final of the 50m Freestyle.

Emerging Swimmer of the Year

These awards are presented by the NZ Swimming Alumni to up-and-coming swimmers from each of the four zones and a Para swimmer who has excelled in the qualifying period in long or short course. Nominees must be under the age of 19 years at the end of the 2023 and not have won the award previously.

All Stars Zone

Finalists

• Alessandro Esposito

• Milan Glintmeyer

• Finn Harland

• Molly Player

Winner: Milan Glintmeyer

Aquaknights Zone

Finalists

• Keira Allott (Mt Maunganui)

• Talitha McEwan (Mt Maunganui)

• Gus Shivnan

• Monique Wieruszowski

Winner: Keira Allott

Harlequins Zone

Finalists

• Aimee Crosbie (Coast)

• Isabelle Gibson (United)

• Summer Osborne (North Shore)

• Zyleika Pratt-Smith (Coast)

Winner: Summer Osborne

Makos Zone

Finalists

• Hanna Abdou

• Hope Chmiel

• Oliver Lutton

• Kale Twist

Winner: Oliver Lutton

Para Swimmer

Finalists

• Erin Knox

• Rylee Sayer

• Asher Smith-Franklin

• Joshua Willmer

Winner: Joshua Willmer

Norma Williams Cup

Overall Emerging Swimmer of the Year and recipient of the Don Stanley Alumni scholarship

Winner: Joshua Willmer

International Para Swimmer of the Year

It is presented to a Para swimmer with the most outstanding international performance in the 2022 calendar year.

Finalists

• Dame Sophie Pascoe (QEII)

• Joshua Willmer (Pukekohe)

• Cameron Leslie (Whangarei)

Winner: Cameron Leslie

Cameron received this award for his gold and three silver medals at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships. This is the first time Cameron has received this award.

Closest to World Record - Para Swimmer

It is presented to the Para swimmer who achieved a time closest to the World Record at the time of the event in the 2022 calendar year.

Winner: Cameron Leslie

Cameron received this inaugural award for breaking the 50m Freestyle S4 World Record twice in 2022, once at the 2022 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships and again in the heats at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships.

Billie Fitzsimmons Cup

The International Swimmer of the Year award is presented to the swimmer with the most outstanding performance in the 2022 calendar year.

Finalists

• Erika Fairweather (Neptune & Swim Dunedin)

• Cameron Gray (Coast)

• Andrew Jeffcoat (Club 37)

• Lewis Clareburt (Capital)

Winner: Lewis Clareburt

Lewis received this award for his two gold and one bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and particularly for his Commonwealth & New Zealand Record-breaking performance in the 400m Individual Medley. This is the fourth successive time that Lewis has won this award.

Closest to World Record

It is presented to the Olympic programme swimmer who achieved a time closest to the World Record at the time of the event in the 2022 calendar year.

Winner: Lewis Clareburt

Lewis received this award for his Commonwealth & New Zealand Record-breaking performance in the 400m Individual Medley. This is second year in a row he was won this award.

Annette Kellerman Cup

The Open Water Swimmer of the Year is presented to the individual with the best result in open water events in New Zealand and overseas in the 2022 calendar year.

Winner: Ruby Heath

Ruby received this award for her selection and performance at the 2022 FINA World Championships in Budapest where she debuted as an Aquablack in the 10km event. This is the second year in a row that Ruby has received this award.

International Coach of the Year

It is presented to the coach of the swimmer with the most outstanding international performance in the 2022 calendar year.

Finalists

• Lars Humer (Swim Dunedin)

• Andy McMillan

• Mitch Nairn (Club 37)

• Gary Hollywood (Capital)

Winner: Gary Hollywood

Gary received this inaugural award for his coaching performance of Lewis Clareburt at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where Lewis won two gold medals and broke the Commonwealth & New Zealand Record in the 400m Individual Medley.

International Para Coach of the Year

It is presented to the coach of the Para swimmer with the most outstanding international performance in the 2022 calendar year.

Finalists

• Brett Naylor

• Sheldon Kemp (Pukekohe)

• Tom Onley (Whangarei)

Winner: Tom Onley

Tom received this inaugural award for his coaching performance of Cameron Leslie at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira, where Cameron won one gold and three silver medals and broke the World Record in the heats of the 50m Freestyle S4.

Coach of the Year

It is presented as the supreme coach of the year award for coaching performance, services to the sport and character in the 2022 calendar year.

Finalists

• Lars Humer (Swim Dunedin)

• Kurt Crosland (Swim Dunedin)

• Tom Onley (Whangarei)

• Gary Hollywood (Capital)

Winner: Lars Humer

Lars received this award for his coaching of top performances in 2022, such as Erika Fairweather’s two silver medals and Caitlin Deans 5th in the 1500m Freestyle at the 2022 FINA World Short Course Championships in Melbourne. This award also recognizes his services to swimming with the Swim Dunedin programme. This is the second time Lars has received this award.

Jackie Clarke Award

It is presented to a volunteer who has displayed outstanding commitment and dedication to swimming either to Swimming NZ, a region, or a club, in administration in the 2022 calendar year.

Finalists

• Merryn Maguire (Canterbury West Coast)

• Dianne Farmer (Manawatu)

• Beth Finer (Northland)

• Christine Thompson (Otago)

• Karyn Salisbury (Taranaki)

• Tessa Hennessy (Waikato)

• Viv Morton (Wellington)

Winner: Dianne Farmer

Dianne received this award for her dedication and countless hours of support each week as regional administrator for Swimming Manawatu. In addition to this role, she was also a member of the Swimming NZ Technical Advisory Committee. Dianne has been recognized for her commitment as regional administrator that has helped the region maintain their number of members of the past few years and keep the region operating.

Bill Matson Award

The International Technical Official of the Year is presented to a technical official who has officiated in an integral role in an international competition in the 2022 calendar year.

Finalists

• Ron Clarke (FINA World Champs)

• Dianne Farmer (FINA World Short Course)

• Jacqui Forsythe (FINA World Junior Champs)

• Ross Gillespie (Commonwealth Games)

• Lesley Huckins (FINA World Champs, Commonwealth Games & FINA World Short Course)

• Gavin Ion (FINA World Champs)

• John West (FINA World Champs)

Winner: Ross Gillespie

Ross received this award for his appointment as starter at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where he was one of the only internationally appointed positions at the competition. This is the second time Ross has won this award.

Duncan Laing Trophy

It is presented to the club with the most combined club points in individual events at the 2022 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships in Auckland, the 2022 Apollo Projects NZ Age Group Swimming Championships in Wellington and the 2022 Apollo Projects NZ Short Course Swimming Championships in Auckland.

1st = North Shore

2nd = Coast

3rd = United

4th = Captial

5th = Pukekohe

Baxter O'Neill Trophy

Wednesday 5 April in Medals Break

It is presented to the overall swimmer of the year for swimming performance, services to the sport and character.

Finalists

• Erika Fairweather (Neptune & Swim Dunedin)

• Lewis Clareburt (Capital)

• Cameron Leslie (Whangarei)

Winner: Lewis Clareburt

Lewis received this award for the fourth consecutive time after his outstanding performances at the Commonwealth Games, where he won two golds and a bronze medal. Lewis has also been recognized for his promotion of the sport and leadership.