Alyssa Shepherd and Hayley Austin with Mini-Fergus.
The World Games, held in August, brought together more than 4,000 athletes from 144 countries to compete across 34 sports.
Three Manawatū-based canoe polo players and members of Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University’s Academy of Sport were part of the Paddle Ferns New Zealand women’s team that claimed silver.
Bachelor of Business student Hayley Austin, Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Science student Alyssa Shepherd and Bachelor of Veterinary Science student Georgia Wheeler juggle full-time study, work and training while competing at the highest level of their sport.
Hayley says the environment at The World Games was like nothing she’d ever experienced.
“There was a real buzz – excitement, anticipation and a huge level of respect. Everyone knew every athlete had earned their place, so there was no judgement, just genuine interest in each other’s sports,” Hayley says.
“Seeing fellow New Zealanders created an instant bond. Unlike a typical world champs, only the top seven countries had qualified, so every game was do or die. It was intense, high-level and the facilities were incredible. Our sport felt big and professional, like it should.”
The Paddle Ferns overcame Spain 3-2 in the quarterfinals and the Netherlands 4-1 in the semifinals, before going down 4-0 to Germany in the final. Their silver medal is a historic achievement, as they have secured the best result yet for New Zealand in canoe polo.
Hayley says the team’s resilience and passion outweighed the challenges of competing against fully professional European sides.
“We came from New Zealand’s off-season in the middle of winter with no external funding, up against sponsored European teams who had played three championships together in the lead-up. We don’t get to play at the same level week in, week out, yet this little country on the other side of the world showed up and delivered. That’s the heart, skill and spirit of New Zealand canoe polo. Winning silver means so much, and now we get to be role models for younger players to strive towards.”
Alongside boosting her confidence, Hayley says being part of a top-level competition has been eye-opening and made her hungry to keep striving and be at the best of her game.
“Next for me internationally is trialling for the New Zealand Women’s Team again to compete at the 2026 World Championships held in Duisburg, Germany. Germany is a massive hub for canoe polo so I’m interested to see what kind of event they put on and to attend a tournament in Europe. Locally, I have the New Zealand Inter-Regional Championships in December, playing for the Central Region.”
In order to manage full-time study, work and training, Hayley keeps a weekly schedule and plans ahead as much as possible.
“Training and mental prep ramped up for this event, and balancing everything meant a lot of sacrifices. Massey’s Academy of Sport has been really supportive, helping with study flexibility when I’m overseas. Experiences like the World Games bring real value to my studies, they give me perspective, open new options and help me manage my time, priorities and learning more effectively.”
Gold and bronze in lifesaving
Recent Bachelor of Arts graduate Fergus Eadie impressed in the lifesaving competition, where New Zealand’s small team of just three athletes punched well above its weight, finishing fourth on the medal table ahead of Australia’s 10-strong team.
Fergus won gold in the men’s 50 metre manikin carry and bronze in the 100 metre men’s manikin carry with fins, missing silver by just 0.01 seconds. He also placed sixth place in the men’s 100 metre manikin tow with fins. Now back in New Zealand, Fergus is turning his attention to the Pool Rescue Championships in September.
Mascot on tour
Another Fergus was also in attendance, with the travel-sized version of Massey’s ram mascot cheering on the athletes in Chengdu. Mini-Fergus joins student athletes on their journeys around the world, and you can see more of his adventures on the Sport Massey Instagram.
Learn about the Academy of Sport programme for high-performance athletes studying at Massey.
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