2026 Blues Awards Winners
Major Award Winners
Most Meritorious Performance (Arts and Cultural)
Samuel David Foote, Benjamin Mark Jones, Jumana Maash, Chloe Georgina Mills
These students represented the University of Auckland and New Zealand at the 2026 International Chamber of Commerce Commercial Mediation Competition in Paris, helping their team claim 1st place among 54 teams from 33 countries. Their success reflected months of intensive preparation, with the team demonstrating exceptional communication, teamwork, adaptability and advocacy throughout the competition, including a live-streamed final.
Most Meritorious Performance (Business and Innovation)
Maadhav Arora, Mihir Ojas Rallapudi, Nathaniel Malik Josiah Brown
These students team won the 2026 L’Oréal Brandstorm Australia and New Zealand National Final, becoming the first New Zealand team to claim the title. They went on to place in the global top six from approximately 380,000 entrants across 64 countries, presenting their innovation, Mémoire - an AI-powered memory-to-fragrance platform - at VivaTech in Paris.
Most Meritorious Performance (Service and Leadership)
Dylan Yash Chand
Dylan organised and led an Aotearoa Youth Delegation to the United Nations’ COP30 in Belém, Brazil, presenting the delegation’s Youth Statement on the international stage. His leadership bridged local and global climate advocacy, engaging New Zealand Ministers, MPs and Pacific leaders and demonstrating how young people can meaningfully influence climate policy.
Most Meritorious Performance (Sport) and Sportsman of the Year
George Lee Rush
George enjoyed a landmark 2026 season as part of the winning crew at the 49er World Championship in France, becoming the youngest 49er world champion in history. His crew also won the overall regatta at the 49er Open European Championship, marking significant progression since his 2025 Blue.
Sportswoman of the Year
Catherine Olivia Hall
Catherine established herself as a regular contributor to the Silver Ferns and reached the semifinals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, a pinnacle event for netball. Returning strongly from injury, she increased her international court time and impact across goal keeper and goal defence, demonstrating significant progression since receiving her 2025 Blue.
Para-athlete Sportsperson of the Year
Michael John Whittaker
Michael represented New Zealand in the men’s T13 5000m at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi. Racing the world’s best athletes with visual impairments in his World Championships debut, he finished 8th in the final in 15:38.13, marking a strong performance on the international para-athletics stage.
Māori Major Award
Emma Haley Walker
Emma, who performs as Theia and is also known as Em-Haley Kūkūtai Walker, uses music and oratory to advocate for Māori and Indigenous rights. She performs across Aotearoa and internationally and delivered two interventions at the United Nations in New York during the nomination period.
Pasifika Major Award
Arie Geoffry Rasmussen Magasiva
Arie represented New Zealand at 2026 Rowing World Cups 1 and 2, finishing 13th in Spain and 5th in Bulgaria. After more than a decade in rowing, he was named as a reserve for the World Championships and selected for New Zealand’s 2026–27 summer squad.
Arts and Cultural Blue Winners
| Name | Activity |
|---|---|
| Benjamin Mark Jones | Commercial Mediation |
| Chloe Georgina Mills | Commercial Mediation |
| Elri Bosman | Music: Vocal Performance |
| Emma Haley Walker | Music and Oratory |
| Harper Kathryn Te Oriwa Smith | Debating |
| James Christopher Boland | Debating |
| Jayah Tohu-a-rongo Marsters | Māori Performing Arts |
| Judy Catherine Fong | Debating |
| Jumana Maash | Commercial Mediation |
| Samuel David Foote | Commercial Mediation |
| Tristan Lu | Music: Guitar and Composition |
| Xiaoyu Man | Screenwriting and Film and Media |
Business and Innovation Blue Winners
| Name | Activity |
|---|---|
| Cameron Max Price Cunliffe | Case Competition |
| Cathy Lee Kang | Case Competition |
| Cris Yerik Rodriguez Escandor | Case Competition |
| Eliot Harmen Stolte Chignell | Entrepreneurship |
| Joanna Ya Lan Pan | Case Competition |
| Kotaro Ishii | Case competition |
| Maadhav Arora | Business Innovation |
| Mihir Ojas Rallapudi | Case Competition |
| Nathaniel Malik Josiah Brown | Case Competition |
| Nima Sadeghzadeh | Clinical innovation |
| Omar Hassan Said Mourad | Entrepreneurship |
| Rohitraj Reddy Guthpe | Case Competition |
| Roshan Jakob ter Wal | Case Competition |
| Thenuka Shiron Sabesan | Case Competition |
| Yunshu Bai | Case Competition |
| Zach Aiden Kirby | Case competition |
Service and Leadership Blue Winners
| Name | Activity |
|---|---|
| Briarna Kate Higgs | Community Leadership |
| Dylan Yash Chand | Led an Aotearoa Youth Delegation to the United Nations’ COP30 in Belém, Brazil |
| Humeera Imran | Community Leadership |
| Timothy Maurice Carson | Chair of the New Zealand Ukulele Trust |
| Xavier William Walsh | Community Leadership |
Sports Blue Winners
| Name | Activity |
|---|---|
| Alexander Liki Revell-Lewis | Athletics |
| Angus Alan Revell | Rugby |
| Arie Geoffry Rasmussen Magasiva | Rowing |
| Ava Hope Maddison | Road Cycling |
| Benjamin Daniel McLean | Archery |
| Benjamin Edward Lowe | Water Polo |
| Blaise Alexander John Van Heerden | Water Polo |
| Catherine Olivia Hall | Netball |
| Chantelle Dominique Nikita May | Fencing |
| Charles Arthur Newland Bioletti | Fencing |
| Cheidan Perenara Darcy Moetara | Waka Ama |
| Cole Thomas Hawkins | Wrestling |
| Conor Mark Bradding | Surf Life Saving: Pool Rescue |
| Courtney Louise McGregor | Artistic Gymnastics |
| Eesha Vaani Ranchhod | Karate |
| Elizabeth Joy Gault | Water polo |
| Elizabeth Sarah Jane Hardiman | Lacrosse: Sixes |
| Ella Carol Arnold | Sailing |
| Elsie Kate Lins | Fencing |
| Finn Michael Murphy | Para Canoe |
| Finn William Balchin | Sailing |
| George Lee Rush | Sailing |
| Grant Allan Clancy | Canoe Racing |
| Greer Lily Morley | Canoe Sprint |
| Hannah Bella Louise Baxter | Canoe Sprint |
| Harrison Peter Klouwens | Swimming |
| Havana Rosalie Hopman | Rhythmic Gymnastics |
| Holly Marie Rule | Athletics |
| Isaac Lancelot Houlbrooke | Hockey |
| Isabella Grace Matthews | Archery |
| Jared Hanmer George Monk | Athletics |
| Jordana Elizabeth Bremner | Futsal |
| Joseph Kahurangi Dunn | Athletics |
| Julia Lena Padrutt | Surf Life Saving and Canoe Sprint |
| Ka Yi Nicole Leung | Karate |
| Lucas Frank Day | Sailing |
| Lucy Maree Cooper | Aerobic Gymnastics |
| Lucy Mary Rose Matehaere | Canoe Sprint |
| Mollie Grace McHale | Underwater Hockey |
| Nuala Jane Stevens Edmundson | Archery |
| Rowan James Kensington | Sailing |
| Samuel Ruruarau Hiha | Hockey |
| Sean William Kensington | Sailing |
| Shaunna Li | Badminton |
| Tegan Sophie Feringa | Cycling |
| Tom Joshua Te Puni | Athletics |
| Wen Min Low | Ice Hockey |
| Yamato Maemura | Powerlifting |