2025 Awards
The finalists for the 2025 National Awards are listed below. These are the nominees put forward by each region, in some cases selected from several nominations received.
A panel of judges (Grand Masters) voted to determine the winners in each category. The results were announced at the National Tournament and published below - winners in red.
See our honours List for details of the special awards presented this year.
The 2025 National Tournament started with two special presentations.
James Rimmer was presented his Grand Master certificates by Grand
Master Evan Davidson, who was James’s instructor when he first started
training at Miramar in 1983.
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Grand Master ‘Rocky” Rounthwaite was awarded an ITFNZ Life Membership.
Two other recipients, Master Lawrence Mantjika and Dennis Burns, were
unable to attend. A presentation will be made at a later date.
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At Sunday morning’s Award presentations, the four Grand Masters - Evan
Davidson, Paul McPhail, ‘Rocky’Rounthwaite and James
Rimmer, were joined by Norman Ng, a pioneer of Taekwon-Do in New Zealand.
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Gup Student of the Year
Auckland North: Richard Jagape (Warrior)
Counties Manukau: Helen Khiev (Paul M Papakura)
Wellington: Chris Chong (Berhampore) |
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Dan Student of the Year
Auckland North: Wei Loong Cheng (Jungshin Glenfield)
Counties Manukau: Carmen Yip (Paul M Papakura)
Midlands: Oliver Nasr (Hwa Rang Tauranga)
Wellington: Sam Young (Khandallah) |
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Instructor of the Year
Auckland North: Matthew Davey (Jungshin Glenfield)
Counties Manukau: Master Mahesh Bhana (Eastern ITF Pakuranga)
Wellington: Andy Wong (Legacy) |
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Club of the Year
Auckland North: Warrior TKD
Counties Manukau: Paul M Papakura
Wellington: Khandallah |
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Sports Person of the Year
Counties Manukau: DJ Iotua (Paul M Papakura)
Wellington: Hayley Young (Khandallah) |
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Junior Sports person of the Year
Auckland North: Kevin Edwards (Warrior)
Counties Manukau: Eden Childs (Paul M Papakura)
Wellington: Nina Ross (Khandallah) |
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Outstanding Official of the year
Jackie Bebbington and James Woolf-Ben-Avraham |
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Presidents Award
Mr Michael Lowe
The Award recognises Mr Lowe’s contribution to Taekwon-Do through the development and delivery of the Instructors Induction Course over several decades. Mr Lowe was unable to attend to receive the Award. A presentation will be made at a later date. |
Each region nominates a single entrant for the following awards.
Dan Student Criteria
- Participation in events, regionally and nationally, as a competitor or official
- Achievements in gradings and/or tournaments
- Contribution to their club eh instructing, administration etc
- Contribution to the greater community, if any, like outside interests or community service etc
- Other relevant achievements
Gup Student Criteria
- Grading results over the past year
- Attendance at events
- Qualifications gained
- Contribution to the greater community if any, like outside interests or community service etc
- Other relevant achievements
Instructor Criteria
- Grading results of students averaged out
- All instructor qualifications current
- Instructors personal achievements/changes for the year if any
Club Criteria
- Club growth/changes (Difference between registered members previous Awards year)
- Student achievements/attendance at any event, including camps and tournaments
- Supporting Community, Social and environmental initiatives through club participation.
Junior Sports person
This category is based on competition results at regional events, prior year Nationals, Stars Series and international placing.
Sports person
This category is based on competition results at regional events, prior year Nationals, Stars Series and international placing.
Nominations
Each Region will nominate one person for each available category that is not the sole responsibility of an advisory group or Board. Regions may only nominate one person per category.
Regional Directors are responsible for managing the nominations process. It is up to the regions to decide how nominations will be received.
Regions can determine the final voting process to select their category nominations.
The dates for each nomination period will be from the 1st of April the previous year to the 31st March of the current year. Any other information included will not be considered as part of the nomination.
Each Region’s nominations shall include a description of each category nominee’s achievements, being no longer than three paragraphs and include a digital head and shoulders photo of the nominee.
