Top Young Athletes Recognised At Colgate Games

Eight of New Zealand’s most outstanding young athletes have been awarded the prestigious Nick Willis Scholarships for their performance and sportsmanship at the North and South Island Colgate Games.

The scholarships, worth $500 each, were awarded to the young athletes after three days of exceptional performance on and off the field in Whanganui and Timaru.

Each year Colgate and Athletics New Zealand provide eight scholarships named after Colgate Games alumnus Nick Willis for athletes who display exceptional sportsmanship – four from the North Island Games and four from the South Island.

The 2023 scholarship winners are:

• Imogen Barlow (Pakuranga Athletic Club) - 14 years old
• Karmen-Elizabeth Maritz (North Harbour Bays Athletics) - 14 years old
• Quinn Moss (Auckland City Athletics Club) – 14 years old
• Owen Lamb (North Harbour Bays Athletics) – 14 years old
• Molly McManus (Athletics Nelson) – 14 years old
• Isla Tilbury (Marlborough Athletics) – 14 years old
• Cody Lawson (Athletics Invercargill) – 14 years old
• Finn Hawkins (New Brighton Olympics AC) – 14 years old

Colgate General Manager John Garside says the Nick Willis Scholarship winners stood out among their peers.

“Each of the Nick Willis Scholarship winners demonstrated true talent and are an inspiration to their fellow athletes demonstrating respect on and off the field.

“The whole athletics community can be proud,” Garside says.

Awarded for the first time in 2013, each scholarship is worth $500 and is intended to support junior athletes to buy equipment, support additional coaching or other training costs.

The Colgate Games is New Zealand’s longest running children’s athletics event which began in 1978.

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