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Black Ferns great Fiao'o Fa'amausili headlines sports stars Queen's Birthday honours

June 3, 2018
BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - AUGUST 26: Fiao'o Faamausili of New Zealand lifts the trophy following the Women's Rugby World Cup 2017 Final between England and New Zealand at Kingspan Stadium on August 26, 2017 in Belfast, United Kingdom. (Photo by Charles McQuillan - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

Black Ferns great Fiao'o Fa'amausili, triathlete Andrea Hewitt and equestrian rider Andrew Nicholson headline the sporting identities in the Queen's Birthday honours list this year.

Fa'amausili, the long-time Black Ferns captain is being added as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to rugby.

Fa'amausili has represented the Black Ferns since 2002, playing in five Women's Rugby World Cup, four of which New Zealand won.

She has captained the side since 2012 and led the team to its most recent World Cup win in 2017, a year in which she was included in World Rugby's team of the year.

The Fiao'o Fa'amausili Medal is awarded to the best player each year in the Farah Palmer Cup.

Fa'amausili has also been a Detective Constable with the police since 2010.

Also being honoured for her contribution to netball is former Silver Ferns captain Tracey Fear, who was named as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Hewitt has represented New Zealand in triathlon since 2005, winning bronze in the individual race at the2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

She also won bronze on the Gold Coast this year in the relay event.

Hewitt is being named as the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit

Fear played for the Silver Ferns in the 1980s, a period which included the 1987 World Cup win.

She captained the team in 1988 and since retiring, she has worked as a coach and administrator.

Fear coached the New Zealand A, New Zealand Under 21s, Waikato and the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic teams.

She also took on numerous high performance roles at Netball New Zealand.

Equestrian rider Nicholson has represented New Zealand at six Olympic Games, winning silver in Barcelona in the team event and bronzes at Atlanta and in London in team events.

He is being included as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Long-time Kiwi Fern Laura Mariu is also being included as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby league.

Mariu played in all five Women’s Rugby League World Cups dating back to 2000, with the Kiwi Ferns winning three tournaments.

Kirsten Hellier. a pioneer of women's javelin and one of New Zealand’s most successful throwing coaches, is also being honoured for her services to athletics.

Hellier won silver in the javelin at the 1994 Commonweath Games.

After retirement, she went on to coach numerous athletes, most notably Valerie Adams from 1998 to 2010.

Fear was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

Paralympic New Zealand chief executive Fiona Allan is also being honoured for services to Paralympic sport.

Allan has been in her current role since 2007, developing para-sport from a grassroots level through the pathway to the Paralympics.

Grant Nisbett has also been named as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to sports broadcasting. 

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