Officers spent an hour trying to get the 47-year-old man, who was believed to have been under the influence of drugs, out of the pools at Parakai Springs.

Karate NZ is expecting a spike in membership and exponents switching from other martial arts codes after the sports inclusion in the next Olympics.

Kawhia triplets produce outstanding result at Muay Thai youth champs in Bangkok.

The mind power of China's Shaolin Warriors is impressive, as Auckland school students found out yesterday.

Andrea Kilday has lost her opening taekwondo contest at the Rio Olympics. Kilday, 34, was beaten by Brazilian fourth seed Iris

Kiwi sportsman Jason Lee, who alleged he was kidnapped by police in Rio this week, is safe after a second scare in the Olympics host city.

One of the country's youngest mixed martial arts athletes is heading to the world MuayThai champs in Thailand.

The mystery of how to qualify for the Olympics in taekwondo is a labyrinthine case, probably best placed in Sherlock Holmes' hands.

Mackenzie Vellenoweth is tough, physically and mentally. That much is apparent from a 15-minute chat with her at her Hobsonville Point Secondary School.

When you are surrounded by people fixated on drugs, alcohol and violence, there are only two things you can do - join them, or turn away.

I don't think I understood a single thing about judo until Saturday night.

Judo's case for increased financial assistance was crystallised in the span of six hours yesterday.

Auckland's Dan Hooker has nominated himself to join Mark Hunt at UFC Fight Night 52 in Japan in September.

The UFC will return to New Zealand within two years but there are no guarantees Auckland will play host.

After winning his maiden appearance in the UFC with a first-round TKO, Auckland's Dan Hooker was asked in his post-fight interview about his opponent's desire to go for a leg lock.

Seasoned New Zealand competitor Tim Slyfield has high expectations for the team of 11 named yesterday to compete at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Fighting is big business, and the king of the mixed martial arts hill is coming to NZ. So how did barely legal brutality become one of the world's fastest-growing sports?

A top sportsman has died at an international judo tournament in Europe a day after competing for a place in the New Zealand Commonwealth Games team.

Kiwi UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt has received an early Christmas bonus.

An inspired Kelly Lynch finds tension and excitement ringside in Bangkok.

An Olympic athlete was given a formal warning by police investigating an international drug ring but NZ sports officials had no choice but to select him.

Mark Hunt hasn't lost any confidence following his knockout loss to Junior dos Santos at UFC 160 in Las Vegas last month.