Top five 2016 - NZ's top five breakout sporting stars

Anton Lienert-Brown (Getty Images)
Anton Lienert-Brown (Getty Images)

Anton Lienert-Brown

There were many Kiwi success stories in 2016, but forcing your way into the All Blacks starting line-up should not be underestimated.

Lienert-Brown only made his Super Rugby debut in March 2014, but got the international call-up two-and-a-half years later to play Australia in the Rugby Championship. Sonny Bill Williams’ injury misfortune was a blessing for ALB – and by the end of the season he’d made nine appearances.

Superb vision, handling skills and more defensively adept than Malakai Fekitoa, you wonder if SBW will even get a look-in next year.

 

Eliza McCartney

Eliza McCartney (Getty Images)
Eliza McCartney (Getty Images)

Aged just 19, McCartney stunned the athletics world with a bronze medal in Rio.

A freakishly talented athlete, McCartney had a natural aptitude for numerous sports (including netball, running,basketball) before finally plumping for the pole vault, and thank goodness she did.

A world class, national record of 4.80m in Rio was just 5cm behind the gold winner and a new star was born.

A natural in front of the camera, McCartney is a sponsor’s dream and destined to fly much, much higher.

 

Liam Malone

Liam Malone (Getty Images)
Liam Malone (Getty Images)

A double below-knee amputee, Malone undoubtedly helped deliver the Paralympics to a whole new audience in New Zealand.

Our very own blade runner won two gold (200m, 400m) and one silver (100m) to dominate the track, taking the records held by Oscar Pistorius in the process.

The flag-bearer for the closing ceremony, Malone’s charisma and natural charm ensured a high profile on his return and numerous TV appearances.

There’s not much this boy can’t do.

 

Luuka Jones

Luuka Jones (Getty Images)
Luuka Jones (Getty Images)

It took a while, but slalom canoeist Jones finally hit the big time in 2016.

Having competed at two previous Olympics but failing to get close to the podium, expectations weren’t particularly high for Rio – but the 27-year-old knew she had the experience and nous to change her life forever.

High-speed and great for TV, New Zealanders were transfixed by the women’s kayak final, with Jones sitting in pole position at one point.

Spaniard Maialen Chourraut pushed her down to silver but, much like Eliza McCartney, Jones is set to inspire a new breed of youngsters into a fantastic sport that only tends to get attention every four years.

 

Shane van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen (Getty Images)
Shane van Gisbergen (Getty Images)

A quarter of a century since Jim Richards won the Australian Touring Car Championship, Shane van Gisbergen was in prime position to break New Zealand’s V8 Supercars duck.

Fourth, second and third the previous three years, Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes completed an impressive Triple Eight Race Engineering combo in the Holden VF Commodore.

With eight season wins, van Gisbergen didn’t even need the final race points, but took all of them anyway – pipping the mighty Jamie Whincup in the process.

Another Kiwi, Scott Mclaughlin, finished third, rounding off a truly incredible year for New Zealand motorsport.                              

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