Nominate a sporting great

Nominations for the Whanganui Sports Hall of Fame open on Monday. The Whanganui Sports Hall of Fame celebrates the contributions of local sportspeople who have represented New Zealand, as well as supporters and officials who, through their involvement in sport, have made a significant impact on our sporting heritage.

Nominations are open from Monday 19 October to Friday 27 November. A judging panel will decide on winners with two inductees formally recognised in a ceremony March 2027.

To qualify for nomination, candidates must be from the Whanganui district either by birth or having moved here; have represented New Zealand as an athlete and be retired from competition for 5 years; and/or have made a positive contribution to sport in the district. 

Chair of the judges panel, Keith Smith says, “once again we have the opportunity to recognize those in our community who have contributed to our wonderful sporting history, which is an important facet of who we are in Whanganui.”

Sport Whanganui and the Whanganui District Council Mayors Office invite nominations from anyone wanting to highlight or celebrate a sporting great. Nominations generally come from a sports club or an individual who is associated with the nominee. As well as any new nominations received, all previous nominations not yet inducted are eligible for consideration.

The Sports Hall of Fame was launched in 2008 with thirty-six sportspeople inducted to date. John Brian Phillips and Simon Charles Dickie were inducted earlier in 2026 for their respective achievements in rugby and rowing.

From Monday 19 October nomination forms can be downloaded from here, or a hard copy picked up from the Sport Whanganui office at Springvale Park. A list of all inductees is available on the Whanganui District Council website at whanganui.govt.nz/Community-and-Culture/Sports-Hall-of-Fame. 

Photo: Family members of John Brian Phillips and Simon Charles Dickie at the induction ceremony in March 2026. Photo credit: Mark Brimblecombe