CrossFit champion Hunter Nepia returns to Rotorua the fittest boy in NZ

Hunter Nepia, 17, finished third in Oceania and first in New Zealand for the boy's division (16-17) at the CrossFit Games in Fort Worth, Texas.

“You don’t really have a choice not to do your best,” says Hunter Nepia.

The Rotorua Boys’ High School student has returned home from Texas, United States, ranked the fittest boy in New Zealand and third fittest in Oceania after completing the CrossFit World Games competition in Fort Worth on Monday.

Next year he will enter the men’s championships, ready to compete against men in “their prime years, mid-20s, sometimes even 30”, Hunter said.

But for now, the 17-year-old is pleased with his performance, placing the 5th fittest boy (ages 16-17) in the world.

The early mornings he didn’t want to get up, but did, and training six days a week, morning and night “for years” was worth it, Hunter said.

“You have to be consistent and be there every day even if you don’t feel like it – most days I don’t feel like getting up and training, but I did,” Hunter said.

Hunter Nepia after the boys' Olympic Total round, which he won during the 2024 CrossFit World Games in Fort Worth, Texas.

Hunter sprained his ankle in the running WOD (Workout of the Day) on the first day. With another competitor “right behind” him at the time he felt his ankle give way, he knew he’d have to worry about it after gunning for the finish line, which he could see.

“I was coming around the corner, just around the finish line, and then I feel my ankle kind of buckle, kind of roll.

“I didn’t think about it at the time because there was someone chasing me down, right behind me,” Hunter said.

Facing doubt about his ability to perform on the second day, he said going on to win the Olympic Total event was about mental focus and being “strategic”.

Niki Nepia a proud parent

Father and coach Niki Nepia, also a CrossFit champion, trained Hunter for more than three years in the lead-up to Fort Worth.

He felt proud his son dedicated himself to managing his own training schedule.

“Six days a week, morning and night, four to five hours a day and that’s the sacrifice that you have to do to get to that level, to compete with the top in the world,” Nepia said.

“It is a long game,” he said.

With Hunter also representing CrossFit Ruark at the games, gym owner Joshua Gardiner said Hunter and Niki were an inspiring father-son team.

“Hunter is actually our fourth athlete to compete and represent our gym and, obviously, New Zealand at the CrossFit World Games.

“I train with him, give him tips before workouts.

“But his dad’s taken on that role and they’ve been successful in that.

“We’re proud, our gym, our city, our people, we’re proud to see a young Māori, Kiwi boy on the rise on the world scene,” Gardiner said.

“In terms of credit it takes a village, but credit to his dad, his family. They train a lot at home.

“A lot of work goes in behind the scenes,” Gardiner said.

As a group coach and trainer with youth at Ruark for close to 10 years, Gardiner had seen a lot of kids come into the gym and give CrossFit a go. He said Hunter stood out because he pushed himself beyond his limits and didn’t quit.

“CrossFit is hard, it takes sacrifice, perseverance, you know, it’s testing all these character traits and unfortunately we lack a lot of that these days with youth.

“When they come to the gym they feel like they have a purpose, they feel included and a part of a team.

“I run teams classes and it’s so popular,” Gardiner said.

Hunter Nepia seen at 10 years old training with dad, Niki Nepia, at CrossFit Ruark in Rotorua.

Dad inspired other CrossFit athletes

Niki Nepia was an inspiration to Gardiner as Hunter’s coach.

“Dads getting in behind their children, it inspires me as a father too.

“His dad is in his corner driving him to get up, get out of bed, and train.

“Obviously, Hunter did the work and that, and we’re so proud of Hunter, but his dad, honestly, we’ve seen from [this win] today and right from the beginning, his dad believed in him,” Gardiner said.

Niki Nepia said CrossFit was a great fundamental sport for any athlete and recommended it to other parents wanting to get their teenagers into positive developmental pathways.

“I urge a lot of parents, if they want their kids to succeed without worrying about them going to the gym and not doing the correct things sometimes, it’s better just to put them in a class and put them in that group environment.

“That way they’re excited to actually train, as opposed to going to the gym. Some kids don’t like going to the gym and just pushing some weights when they’re by themselves.

“That’s where the community comes in,” Nepia said.

Gardiner said he would be starting more group programmes for young men in Rotorua wanting to get into CrossFit and Hunter’s win was encouraging.

“I’m pretty excited for the future.

“It’s just gonna have a snowball effect to other young athletes that we’re already working with and young men from the city,” Gardiner said.

Aleyna Martinez is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. She moved to the region in 2024 and has previously reported in Wairarapa and at Pacific Media Network.