Acima competes in the -69kg powerlifting class and has been competing for three years. She placed 7th at the 2025 Junior World Championships, was named Best Junior Woman at Oceania, and is a 3× Junior and Open Oceania record holder.

Her best lifts are a 165kg squat, 122kg bench press, and 207kg deadlift, for a 494kg total. Acima’s favourite lift is the deadlift, and she’s driven by the belief that showing up and training with intention leads to getting better every session.

Dana competes in the 57kg powerlifting class and has been competing for eight years. She earned Bronze Overall at the 52kg Junior World Championships in 2022 and is a Bronze Bench Medallist at the Open World Championships (2023 & 2024).

Her best lifts are a 155kg squat, 104.5kg bench press, and 170kg deadlift, for a 429.5kg total. Dana’s favourite lift is the bench press, and she competes to see the results of her hard work while continuing to grow into the athlete she’s becoming.

Ella competes in the -63kg category and began Olympic weightlifting in 2023 after transitioning from gymnastics. She placed 1st at the Secondary School Championships and 2nd at the Junior/Senior NZ Nationals, and will represent New Zealand at the Oceania Championships in Samoa this April.

Her best lifts are 75kg snatch and 100kg clean & jerk in training, with 76kg / 97kg in competition. Ella especially enjoys the snatch and split jerk, and thrives on the adrenaline and atmosphere of competition.

Kieran competes in the 79kg weightlifting category and will move into the 85kg class when the new categories are introduced. He is a member of Team New Zealand and the 2025 National Champion.

His best competition lifts are a 128kg snatch and 156kg clean & jerk. Kieran’s favourite lift is the jerk, and he’s driven by pushing his body to its limits and seeing what he’s capable of achieving.

Tia competes in the -86kg weightlifting category and has been lifting for seven years, with five years competing and three years on the international stage. She placed 9th in the world at the 2025 World Championships in Forde, Norway, with a 240kg competition total, and won Bronze in the snatch at the 2024 Youth World Championships in Lima, Peru.

Her best lifts are 111kg in the snatch and 133kg in the clean & jerk. Tia’s favourite lift is the snatch, and she loves the intensity of competition, channeling months of training into one explosive moment on the platform.

Matt competes in the -105kg open powerlifting class. He was named Best Overall Lifter at the 2025 Open National Championships and won 1st place at the 2022 Commonwealth Championships in the -93kg class.

His best lifts are a 325kg squat, 192.5kg bench press, and 356.5kg deadlift. Matt’s favourite lift is the deadlift, and he enjoys competing because each competition is another opportunity to improve.

Nerisa competes in the Open Women Strongwoman division and has been competing for over three years. She is New Zealand’s Strongest Natural Woman and ranked 5th Strongest Woman in the Pacific.

Her best lifts include a 105kg log press, 110kg axle press, 210kg deadlift, 280kg yoke, 210kg squat, and 100kg bench press. Nerisa loves overhead events, and is driven to show that women who look like her can be strong and athletic, proudly representing Samoa and New Zealand on the competition floor.

Olivia competes in the 69kg and 77kg weightlifting categories and has represented New Zealand internationally. Her best result is 8th place at the Senior World Championships in Førde, Norway.

Her best competition lifts include a 106kg snatch and 130kg clean & jerk, and a 235kg total.

Thomas competes in the -83kg class as a junior powerlifter and has quickly established himself as one of the top athletes in his division. In 2025, he placed 2nd at the IPF Junior World Championships in Costa Rica, marking a major milestone in his competitive career.

His best lifts include a 285kg squat, 185kg bench press, and a 330kg deadlift. Known on Instagram as “Mahi Dog,” Thomas has built a strong following through his performances and personality both on and off the platform.

Driven and consistent, Thomas continues to push his limits in pursuit of excellence, representing the next generation of elite powerlifters.