A world champion adaptive Hyrox athlete is fundraising to defend her title after becoming New Zealand’s only medallist at this year’s world championships.
Despite winning gold at the Hyrox World Championships in Sweden earlier this month, Maia Marshall Amai (Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe) is now seeking to raise $50,000 to support her next international campaign.
Marshall Amai was the only one of 104 New Zealand athletes competing across all divisions to return home with a medal, earning the world number one ranking in the adaptive division.
“It’s a lot of hard work, a lot of sacrifice and a lot of money,” she says.
The fundraising target will help pay for a specialised Hyrox racing chair, as well as travel, accommodation and other competition costs.
Hyrox champion calls out funding gap for adaptive athletes
Competing in her debut Hyrox World Championships, Marshall Amai raced in a rugby wheelchair, which she says is not designed for the demands of the course.
She says adaptive athletes often struggle to secure the same level of recognition and financial support as other competitors.
“Especially with adaptive athletes, we seem to not get as much recognition or support from anybody.”
Her trainer, Jodie Loveday, says the financial pressure can take its toll on athletes.
“It just adds another layer of stress and a lot of time away from the actual training, and resting and recovering, which is also just as important.”
Givealittle campaign aims to fund world title defence
Marshall Amai and a friend have launched a Givealittle campaign to help fund her future Hyrox competitions and defend her world title.
Alongside her Hyrox career, she also represents New Zealand in the Wheel Blacks rugby team, which is preparing to travel to Brazil for the World Wheelchair Rugby Championship later next month.
Loveday hopes greater awareness of adaptive sport will lead to increased financial support for athletes.
“I think maybe as the sport develops, or as people get more aware of the financial barriers that come with racing in these kinds of sports, that people are more open to funding, or helping sponsor athletes like Maiz.”
