Massey University psychology student Mary Fisher was named Disabled Sportsperson of the Year at the annual Halberg Awards in Auckland last night.

Her successes in 2014 included a six-medal haul at the Pan-Pacific Championships in Pasadena and she ended the year ranked first in six long-course events and five short-course events.

The Bachelor of Arts student, who is majoring in psychology at Massey’s Wellington campus, is categorised as being totally blind and swims in the S11 class. This requires her to wear blackened goggles and for someone to tap her as she approaches the swimming pool wall.

Her swimming commitments mean she is studying by distance this semester as she trains to qualify for a place at the World Championships in Glasgow in July.

The Halberg Awards, where she met event founder and Olympic gold medallist Sir Murray Halberg, was a rare opportunity for the 22 year old to rub shoulders with other sports stars.

"My award was really exciting and quite unexpected but really cool too. It was a chance to say thanks to all the people who got me there, including the people outside swimming," she says.

Bachelor of Business Studies graduate and Olympic rowing gold medallist Hamish Bond won the Supreme Halberg Award with teammate Eric Murray for continuing an unbeaten streak in competitive racing since 2009. The pair won their 19th race in succession at the World Rowing Championships in 2014.