Golfer Lydia Ko is among six new dames and knights honoured in the 2025 New Year Honours.
Ko, 27, became the youngest to receive New Zealand's third-highest honour on Tuesday after a year in which she won an Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024 and her third women's golf major.
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Ko, who was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018 at 21, said being made a dame was not only special for her, but also for those around her who had helped her become a professional golfer.
"Those opportunities don't come to everyone and for me to have this amazing opportunity, it makes me very proud," Ko said.
"I think it's a moment that's special for all of us, obviously it's special for the person but it's a recognition for everyone involved because I wouldn't be here today without them."
The honour continues Ko's history of youngest records. She is the youngest to win a professional golf tournament and an LPGA tournament. In 2015, she became the youngest women to be ranking No 1 and in 2024, became the youngest to be inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame.
The women's world No 3 said she had to think about accepting the Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit honour for services to golf.
"I did think about it, because you don't really grow up thinking 'Oh I'm going to become a dame'. I'm obviously very grateful that other people are giving me this opportunity. Not everybody gets that."
Among the 16 named Companions of the New Zealander Order of Merit, were former All Blacks coaches Ian Foster (for services to rugby) and John Hart (for services to sports governance).
Foster was one of the first professionals to move into coaching. He played a record 148 matches for Waikato and 26 for the Chiefs, before coaching Waikato, the Chiefs and the Junior All Blacks, before joining the All Blacks set-up.
He was an assistant under Steve Hansen from 2012-19, before taking the reins from 2020-23, leading the ABs to 32 wins in 46 matches.
Hart has been instrumental in the growth of the New Zealand Open golf tournament, while he was the chair of the New Zealand 2011 group that oversaw the running of the Rugby World Cup and was a director with the NZ Warriors from 2009-11 and Blues since 2018.
Former All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM).
Whitelock earned more test caps than any other All Black, playing 153 times for New Zealand before retiring from rugby in 2023. He captained the All Blacks on 18 occasions during his 13 years at international level.