Massey High would like to congratulate Year 11 student Akira Taingahue, who has officially qualified for the 2026 CrossFit Games after finishing 1st in the world in the international Semi Finals.

During the recent school holidays, Akira qualified for the Torian Pro, alongside Leonidas Pereira by placing in the top 8 athletes in Oceania, an impressive achievement that earned them a place on one of the biggest stages in Oceania. They travelled to Brisbane and Akira delivered a dominant performance, finishing 1st place in the 14-15 division.

While competing at Torian Pro, the CrossFit Games Semi Finals review process was underway. Semi Finals involve five intense workouts completed across a single weekend under strict international standards. Every movement, measurement, camera angle, and score submission must meet exact requirements, with public videos reviewed by judges from all over the world. Scores are reviewed, and in some cases, penalties are issued which changes the leaderboard significantly, for two weeks.

After weeks of uncertainty, the confirmation finally came through that Akira had finished 1st in the world in his division, locking in his spot at the CrossFit Games in San Jose, California in July.

This achievement places Akira among the top 20 teenage CrossFit athletes globally, the benchmark required to qualify for the Games, out of almost 2000 who had initially registered for this competition.

Akira’s success is extraordinary, not only for our school, but for our entire community. He balances elite‑level training with schoolwork, cultural commitments, and leadership within the Massey CrossFit programme. Earlier this year, he also performed at Polyfest with Kapa Haka while managing the demands of the international qualification process. He is a humble, hardworking young man who represents his culture, whānau, and school with pride.