With the countdown on to the Halberg awards on February 18, Newshub is running through the credentials for the sportsman and sportswoman of the year contenders.
In part seven of the series, John Day looks at why swimmer Lauren Boyle should take out the Sportswoman trophy.
Lauren Boyle is the dark horse to claim the Halberg for Sportswoman of the Year, but would no doubt be a deserved winner of the prestigious award.
The 28-year-old became New Zealand's most decorated World Championship swimmer ever in 2015, winning silver medals in the 1500m and 800m freestyle.
To put that into context, Danyon Loader was voted New Zealand's best overall sportsperson of the entire 1990s, so for Boyle to pass his mark in Russia, surely she deserves to be named the best female athlete in New Zealand for just one year.
It's a shame the Auckland swimmer wasn't born in a different era. If it wasn't for American swimmer Katie Ledecky, who is regarded as one of the greatest freestylers of all-time, Boyle would certainly be celebrating two gold medals.
Swimming is a huge global sport and one of the pillars the Olympics is built on, and to be able to secure podium places for New Zealand at a World Championship is an achievement which demands some serious consideration from the Halberg judges.
Two kayak gold medals are tremendous, but even Lisa Carrington would concede that coming second twice at the swimming World Champs is a better achievement than beating a small pool of random European paddlers.
A gold medal in road cycling is fantastic too, but a time trial isn't exactly the most sought after world title, racing against other people certainly beats racing against the clock (sorry Linda Villumsen).
Lydia Ko's achievements are the only ones that can truly stand up to those of Boyle. When in doubt though, give it to the Olympic discipline I reckon.
Ko will just have to wait until she wins gold in Rio to receive the Halberg again.
2015 was definitely Boyle's year and a Halberg Award would certainly be a great reward for all of those early morning training sessions staring at that black line at the bottom of a pool.
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