The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games are nearly here, with 116 athletes from Aotearoa New Zealand selected to compete across the 10-day event.
Among them, 21 athletes have whakapapa Māori, making up 18 percent of the New Zealand contingent.
Here is a full list of Māori athletes, their iwi affiliations and the sports they will contest in Glasgow:
Basketball 3x3: Five Māori players named
Five Māori athletes have been selected across the men’s and women’s 3x3 basketball squads:
Women’s team: Azure Anderson (Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Toa) and Eva Langton (Te Āti Awa, Taranaki).
Men’s team: Aidan Tonge (Tainui), Christian Martin (Ngāi Tūhoe), and Te Tuhikiterangi Lewis (Ngāti Raukawa ki Wharepūhunga, Ngāti Maniapoto).
Martin will make his debut at a major multi-sport event, while all 5 players will be competing at their first Commonwealth Games.
Netball: Three Māori Silver Ferns in Glasgow squad
Kelly Jackson (Ngāti Kahungunu), Kimiora Poi (Ngāti Porou), and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan (Ngāti Porou) make up a quarter of the Netball team.
Jackson will attend her third Commonwealth Games after winning bronze at Birmingham 2022. She will also serve as vice-captain in Glasgow.
Poi and Reuelu-Buchanan will make their Commonwealth Games debuts.
Swimming: Clareburt and Fairweather lead Māori contingent
The swimming team will be headlined by Lewis Clareburt (Tainui) and Erika Fairweather (Ngāi Tahu). They will also be joined by first-timers Chelsey Edwards (Ngāti Raukawa) and Carter Swift (Ngāpuhi).
Clareburt has competed at two Commonwealth Games, winning two golds and two bronze medals. Glasgow will be Fairweather’s second Commonwealth Games.
Cycling: Foy and Hornblow set for first games
For cycling events, Emma Foy (Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa) and Keegan Hornblow (Ngāi te Rangi) are the Māori athletes named in the group.
Foy will compete in the Para track cycling alongside pilot Jessie Hodges, while Hornblow will contest the endurance category.
It will be the first Commonwealth Games for both athletes.
Athletics: Hobbs, Tanner and Stephenson among Māori athletes
Three Māori athletes will compete across three athletics disciplines.
New Zealand women’s fastest sprinter, Zoe Hobbs (Ngāruahine), is participating in the Women’s 100m.
Second fastest Kiwi (1500m), Samuel Tanner (Ngāpuhi), is going to be in the Men’s One Mile.
While first-timer Briana Stephenson (Tainui, Ngāti Kahungunu), will be in the Women’s Heptathlon.
These games will be Hobbs and Tanner’s second time.
Gymnastics - Artistic
Olympian Courtney McGregor (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Pahauwera) is making a return to international competitions after a five-year hiatus.
Her discipline will be Vault, but she has been granted permission to start in events at the Games for all-around and team.
This will be her first Commonwealth Games.
Boxing
Playing in the Men’s 65kg for boxing, Connor Campbell (Ngāpuhi, Ngā Ariki Kaipūtahi) is making his Commonwealth Games debut.
Lawn Bowls
This will be Shannon Mcilroy’s (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata) fifth Commonwealth Games.
He will be participating in Men’s Singles for Lawn Bowls.
He has one bronze medal from the Commonwealth Youth Games Bendigo 2004.
Weightlifting
Georgia Theron (Ngāpuhi) will be in the Women’s 77kg category for Weightlifting.
This will be her first time attending the Commonwealth Games.
Click here for the full schedule of the Commonwealth Games.
