Athletics and snow sports are the big winners in the nominees for the 63rd Halberg Awards dominating the list of names for the February event in Auckland.

Just two days after suffering a brutal fall in his heat where he recovered to finish second, Kiwi Geordie Beamish has displayed remarkable grit to edge out defending champion, Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali in the 3000m steeplechase at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.