[As it happened]
Thoughts: Not surprised to be honest ..... the Ferns had a great year but in my opinion, what Adesanya achieved was far bigger on a global scale and far harder to accomplish.
10:28pm - The Silver Ferns
10:27pm - Okay so the winner of the Supreme Award is .......
Finalists: Adesanya, Pascoe, Carrington and the Silver Ferns
10:23pm - They might as well keep the Ferns on stage because I'm almost positive they are scooping the top gong in a few minutes.
10:18pm - And the winner is the Silver Ferns winning the Netball World Cup.
10:14pm - No time for the NZ Sporting Moment of the Year - not gonna list the finalists coz there is a ton, but my votes with Scott Mclaughin winning Bathurst.
10:06pm - Short break now and then the Supreme will be awarded.
Thoughts: A no brainer and I have a feeling they will pip Adesanya for the top gong - this is clearly netball's night.
9:56pm - And the winner is the Silver Ferns.
9:52pm - Next up is Sports Team of the Year
Finalists: Black Ferns Sevens (rugby), Blackcaps (cricket), Silver Ferns (netball). Women’s Eight (rowing), Women’s Double - Olivia Loe and Brooke Donoghue– (rowing)
Thoughts: So stoked Izzy got the nod ... well deserved.
9:47pm - And the winner is Israel Adesanya!!
9:46pm - Next up is Sportsman of the Year award.
Finalists: Israel Adesanya (mixed martial arts), Kane Williamson (cricket), Scott McLaughlin (motorsport), Tom Walsh (athletics)
9:41pm - Awarded to Dame Noeline Taurua.
9:40pm - Next up the Sport NZ Leadership award.
9:28pm - Short break at the moment as James McOnie gies around the tables inside Spark Arena.
9:24pm - And the winner is Lisa Carrington for the fourth straight year!
9:21pm - Next up is the Sportswoman of the Year award
Finalists: Courtney Duncan (motorcycling), Lisa Carrington (canoe racing), Laura Langman (netball), Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (snowboarding)
Thoughts: Gutted for Eugene Bareman - regarded right now as one of the very best combat sports coaches on the planet - with zero public or private funding - he would have been a worthy winner.
9:18pm - And the winner is Dame Noeline Taurua - Silver Ferns coach.
9:15pm - Next up we have the Coach of the Year.
Finalists: Eugene Bareman (mixed martial arts), Gary Hay (rowing), Gordon Walker (canoe racing), Dame Noeline Taurua (netball), Roly Crichton (Para swimming)
9:12pm - And the winnner is Sophie Pascoe.
9:10pm - Next up is the Para athlete/Team of the Year
Finalists: Cameron Leslie (Para swimming, wheelchair rugby), Emma Foy and Hannah van Kampen (Para cycling), Lisa Adams (Para athletics), Sophie Pascoe (Para swimming)
9:05pm - Short break now .... James McOnie just had a sit down with former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Roy Williams
8:53pm - The newest inductee is All Black halfback Sid Going.
8:51pm - Next up we have an inductee into the NZ Sports Hall of Fame.
8:49pm - And the winner is ....... Alice Robinson - junior world slalom ski champion.
8:48pm - Next up we have Emerging Talent award
Finalists: Alice Robinson (ski racing), Erika Fairweather (swimming), Laurence Pithie (cycling), Seb Menzies and Blake McGlashan (yachting)
8:41pm - Awarded to Yvonne Willering - former Silver Ferns coach and player.
8:39pm - First up tonight ...... The Lifetime Achievement award
8:25pm - The ceremony is about to get underway .... first award set to be given out at 8:35pm.
8:06pm - Here a few pics from the Red Carpet event that happened earlier tonight.
7:58pm - Here are your finalists for tonight.
Team of the Year
Black Ferns Sevens (rugby), Blackcaps (cricket), Silver Ferns (netball). Women’s Eight (rowing), Women’s Double - Olivia Loe and Brooke Donoghue– (rowing)
Para athlete/team of the Year
Cameron Leslie (Para swimming, wheelchair rugby), Emma Foy and Hannah van Kampen (Para cycling), Lisa Adams (Para athletics), Sophie Pascoe (Para swimming)
Sportswoman of the Year
Courtney Duncan (motorcycling), Lisa Carrington (canoe racing), Laura Langman (netball), Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (snowboarding)
Sportsman of the Year
Israel Adesanya (mixed martial arts), Kane Williamson (cricket), Scott McLaughlin (motorsport), Tom Walsh (athletics)
Coach of the Year
Eugene Bareman (mixed martial arts), Gary Hay (rowing), Gordon Walker (canoe racing), Noeline Taurua (netball), Roly Crichton (Para swimming)
Emerging Talent
Alice Robinson (ski racing), Erika Fairweather (swimming), Laurence Pithie (cycling), Seb Menzies and Blake McGlashan (yachting)
7:42pm - A few social media tidbits surrounding tonight's awards.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the 2020 Halberg Awards from Auckland's Spark Arena.
Many of New Zealand sport's biggest names - both past and present - have gethered to celebrate the performances of our athletes over the past 12 months, as well as paying respect to some legends for their lifetime achievements.
Awards are always a fickle thing and for those finalists here tonight, they're just the icing on the cake, after all the hard work they've put in to reach their goals.
There's always plenty of debate over who gets the trophies and most athletes understand that, but at the end of the night, there will still be those who feel their favourites have been snubbed.
There are really no losers tonight - if you've made it this far, you've done pretty well.
One of the highlights of any Halberg Awards ceremony is seeing our top sportsmen and women interacting with each other, one of the few times in the year they can compare notes on common ground.
If you're used to seeing them all sweaty and stressed out on the sporting field, it's also a chance to see them dressed up to the nines and relatively relaxed, so the red-carpet entry is also a highlight.
Join us at 7pm, as we build up towards tonight's ceremony.
