My Olympic Boxing Journey

My daughter Lea Newman has been selected by the New Zealand Olympic Committee, in conjunction with Boxing NZ to represent New Zealand at the Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, from October 30th to November 13th 2026.

Lea is a true testament to passion and perseverance. She first laced up her gloves at just nine years old and has trained relentlessly ever since. Her selection is not only a proud personal milestone but a huge moment for New Zealand sport. It follows her strong performance at the Futures Cup in Bangkok earlier this year, where she finished equal 9th.

Key Achievements 🔑

• 5 x South Island Golden Gloves Champion

• 3 x New Zealand National Champion (and current)

• 1 × 2nd place New Zealand Nationals

• Accepted into the Boxing NZ National Development Program

• Representative for New Zealand at the 2026 World Boxing U19 Futures Cup in Thailand, where I placed 9th in the world

• Selected by the NZOC in conjunction with Boxing NZ to represent New Zealand at the Youth Olympics Dakar, Senegal October/November 2026.

Lea will first compete at the International Golden Gloves in August before heading to Africa. It is an incredible honour to represent New Zealand at such a prestigious event. We’d like to thank everyone who has supported her on this journey.

Thank you! 🇳🇿🥊