A dynamic mix of rising stars, national champions, and record-breakers will represent New Zealand at the 2025 FISU World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany. 18 Kiwi athletes selected across the full gamut of athletics events are ready to represent New Zealand on the international student-athlete stage.
Ethan Olivier, the 2024 World U20 Triple Jump Champion and a 2024 Olympian, leads the team. He’s already produced strong results in the build-up, including a 16.84m leap in Rovereto, Italy. Olivier holds the NZ triple jump record and the Oceania and NZ records at 17.01m.
Shot putter Nick Palmer is in the form of his life. Palmer recently launched a massive personal best of 20.32m, just days after setting his previous PB of 20.20m, and will be one to watch in Germany. Long jumper Shay Veitch soared out over the 8m mark for the first time last week, leaping 8.04m in Belgium to move to number two all-time in New Zealand.
In the men’s sprints, Lex Revell-Lewis enters as the national 400m record-holder, having broken the long-standing mark in Melbourne. He’ll be joined by Tommy Te Puni, who has been chasing Revell-Lewis all season and will compete over 200m.
On the women’s side, Marielle Venida will contest the 100m and 200m. Venida is the 2025 NZ 200m champion and a 2024 World U20 Championships representative. With recent bests of 11.54 at the 2025 Sir Graeme Douglas International and 23.74 in Dunedin, she enters the games eyeing some fast times. Oregon Duck, Jordyn Blake, also joins Marielle over the 200m. Blake has flown to new personal bests over 200m and 400m this season and lines up in Germany after a quality build-up in Auckland.
Distance standout Toby Gualter adds major strength to the team, doubling in the 5000m and 10,000m after recently claiming national titles in both the 5km and the half-marathon. He’s joined in the men’s 5000m by Liam Back, another proven competitor on the national and collegiate stage.
In the 5000m, Peyton Leigh and Eva Pringle will look to make their mark, with Pringle also tackling the 3000m steeplechase. Both are in strong shape and capable of mixing it in the top tier.
The endurance depth continues in the middle-distance events. The women’s 1500m will feature Kimberley May and Rosa Twyford. May has been in sensational form, winning races across Europe and climbing to number two on the all-time New Zealand rankings, behind only national record-holder Maia Ramsden. Twyford has notched up a quality 1000m in the build-up to the games, clocking 2:45.94 in Saarbrücken.
Hannah Adye will represent New Zealand in the pole vault, bringing international age-group experience to the competition. In the heptathlon, Maddie Wilson takes on one of the sport’s toughest tests, seven events across two days and will have the 6000 point mark firmly in her sights as her PB sits just shy of the heptathlon yardstick.
The 2025 FISU World University Games, formerly known as the Universiade, is one of the largest multi-sport events in the world, second only to the Olympics. With competition staged across five cities in Germany’s Rhine-Ruhr region, this year’s edition provides a crucial stepping stone for New Zealand’s top university athletes aiming for future senior honours.
How to Watch
You can watch live and free with account registration online via FISU.TV.
The schedule is TBC for each day, and all events may not be covered.
Daily Schedule
Subject to change
* Subject to progression
Day 1 – Monday 21 July
W 400m Heats – Izzy Neal, Annalies Kalma
M 400m Heats – Lex Revell-Lewis
W 100m Heats – Marielle Venida
Day 2 – Tuesday 22 July
W 400m Semi-Finals – Izzy Neal, Annalies Kalma*
M 400m Semi-Finals – Lex Revell-Lewis*
W 100m Semi-Finals – Marielle Venida*
W 800m Heats – Emma Douglass
W 100m Final – Marielle Venida*
Day 3 – Wednesday 23 July
W Heptathlon Day 1 – Maddie Wilson
W 200m Heats – Marielle Venida
M 200m Heats – Tommy Te Puni
M Shot Put Qualifying – Nick Palmer
M Long Jump Qualifying – Shay Veitch
M 10,000m Final – Toby Gualter
W 800m Semi-Final – Emma Douglass*
W 400m Final – Izzy Neal, Annalies Kalma*
M 400m Final – Lex Revell-Lewis*
Day 4 – Thursday 24 July
W Heptathlon Day 2 – Maddie Wilson
W 5000m Heats – Eva Pringle, Peyton Leigh
M 5000m Heats – Toby Gualter, Liam Back*
W Pole Vault Qualifying – Hannah Adye
M Long Jump Final – Shay Veitch
W 200m Semi-Final – Marielle Venida, Jordyn Blake*
M 200m Semi-Final – Tommy Te Puni*
W Heptathlon 800m – Maddie Wilson
M Shot Put Final – Nick Palmer*
W 800m Final – Emma Douglass*
W 200m Final – Marielle Venida, Jordyn Blake*
M 200m Final – Tommy Te Puni*
Day 5 – Friday 25 July
W 3000m Steeplechase Heats – Eva Pringle
M Triple Jump Qualifying – Ethan Olivier
W Pole Vault Final – Hannah Adye
W 1500m Heats – Kimberley May, Rosa Twyford
Day 6 – Saturday 26 July
M 5000m Final – Toby Gualter, Liam Back*
M Triple Jump Final – Ethan Olivier*
W 5000m Final – Eva Pringle, Peyton Leigh*
Day 7 – Sunday 27 July
W 3000m Steeplechase Final – Eva Pringle*
W 1500m Final – Kimberley May, Rosa Twyford*