Silver Ferns coach Waimarama Taumaunu and Maori All Blacks coach Jamie Joseph have been nominated for the Maori sports coach of the year award.
A total of 22 Olympians, three Paralympians and 14 world champion individuals and teams have been nominated to take top honours at this year's Maori Sports Awards.
Olympic canoeist Lisa Carrington and Paralympic swimmer Cameron Leslie, as well as bronze medal winning rower Storm Uru, are among the finalists in contention for the supreme title - the Maori Sports Person of the Year.
The executive director of the awards Dick Garratt says Maori have come along way in the sporting world.
He says it's a contrast from 1991 when the first Maori sports awards were held: then there were only 10 sports, 10 iwi and one world champion.
Mr Garratt says last year's Rugby World Cup, this year's London Olympics and Paralympics and the World Waka Ama Championships have all helped to build up the numbers of Maori sports stars.
