World Champion Powerlifter Wins Supreme Māori Sports Award

01 December 2025

A world champion powerlifter won the prestigious Albie Pryor Memorial Māori Sports Person of the Year award, Rongomaraeroa, at Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia tonight (Saturday 29 November 2025).

Dr Karlina Tongotea (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu, Tonga) received a world champion award as well as winning Senior Māori Sportswoman of the Year before taking out the supreme award at the Trillian Trust Māori Sports Awards hosted by Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust.

The 32-year-old powerlifter achieved a new open world record in Chengdu, China, on her way to winning gold in the 76kg class at the World Games in August. Tongotea’s record was set at 620kg, a combination of her successful attempts at the three powerlifting disciplines: squat (230kg), bench (130kg) and deadlift (260kg).

A two-hour special – TE TOHU TAAKARO O AOTEAROA | Māori Sports Awards 2025 – will broadcast on Whakaata Māori tomorrow – Sunday 30 November 2025 from 12 noon to 2pm – and is also available to view on its online MĀORI+ platform.

The Māori Sports Awards’ category winners, scholarship recipients and Māori Sports Hall of Fame inductee are:

TE ARATIATIA | Māori Sports Umpire/Referee of the Year

Ben O’Keeffe (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua), Kaipara – whutupōro | rugby

MĀUI TIKITIKI-Ā-TARANGA | Māori Sports Administrator of the Year

Gordon Watson (Ngāpuhi), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – poiwhana | football

TE MARU Ō TŪMATAUENGA | Māori Sports Coach of the Year

Marty Bourke (Waikato Tainui), Ōtautahi | Christchurch – whutupōro | rugby

NGĀ IKA Ā WHIRO | Māori Sports Team of the Year

Mareikura U18 Wāhine Māori Team – whutupōro | rugby

TE TOI HUAREWA | Māori Para Athlete of the Year

Cameron Leslie MNZM (Ngāpuhi), Whangārei – Kauhoe whaikaha | Para swimming

TE KUNENGA KI PŪREHUROA | Massey University Scholarship

Te Maia Sweetman (Rangitāne ki Tāmaki Nui a Rua), Te Papaioea | Palmerston North – whutupōro | rugby, rīki | rugby league

TOITŪ KAUPAPA MĀORI MĀTAURANGA | Māori Education Trust Scholarship

Bailey Ngatai-Cribb (Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāti Kuia), Manawatū – pā whutupōro | touch rugby

SKILLS ACTIVE AOTEAROA | Māori Sports Awards Scholarship

Epiha Ricky Muru-Kete (Waikato Tainui), Rāhui-Pōkeka | Huntly – rīki | rugby league

TE PIKINGA O TĀWHAKI | Māori World Champions:

Dr Karlina Tongotea (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu, Tonga), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – hiki taumaha | powerlifting
Waikura Taiapa (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui), Katikati – kūrutu | jiu jitsu

TE TAMĀHINE-Ā-PAPATŪĀNUKU | Junior Māori Sportswoman of the Year

Braxton Sorensen-McGee (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Wai), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – whutupōro | rugby

TE TAMA-Ā-RANGINUI | Junior Māori Sportsman of the Year

Dylan Pledger (Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Ōtepoti | Dunedin – whutupōro | rugby

HINEAHUONE | Senior Māori Sportswoman of the Year

Dr Karlina Tongotea (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu, Tonga), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – hiki taumaha | powerlifting

TE TAMA-Ā-TANENUIĀRANGI | Senior Māori Sportsman of the Year

Joseph Tapine (Ngāi Tūhoe), Ahitereiria | Australia – rīki | rugby league

TE WHARE MĀTĀTAPUNA O TE AO MĀORI | Māori Sports Hall of Fame

Dame Lisa Carrington DNZM MNZM (Te Aitanga a Māhaki, Rongowhakaata, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tara Tokanui, Ngāti Maniapoto), North Harbour – waka hūkere | canoe sprint

RONGOMARAEROA | Albie Pryor Memorial Māori Sports Person of the Year

Dr Karlina Tongotea (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu, Tonga), Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland – hiki taumaha | powerlifting

For more information about the Māori Sports Awards, go to the website: www.maorisportsawards.co.nz.

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