Meet the Competitors in the 2020 MoveMeant Challenge

We are delighted to introduce you to all the challengers in the 2020 Fitbit MoveMeant Challenge. The competition will start on Monday 16th March, with the winner announced on Monday 30th March.

Each competitor will wear a Fitbit Versa 2 to try and out-step the others over two weeks in the hope of becoming the 2020 MoveMeant challenge champion.

This, is fifth year that Diabetes NZ with champion sponsor, Fitbit NZ, will partner with prominent New Zealanders to help drive awareness of diabetes in New Zealand through the Fitbit MoveMeant Challenge. The challenge is one way to highlight the importance of movement and physical activity in both prevention (type 2 diabetes) and management of diabetes. 

Follow the challengers progress via Diabetes NZ Facebook page and Instagram. We will also be running a competition where great prizes can be won, anyone can take part. Better still; Join the MoveMeant yourself or show your support for one or more of our participants by donating to their individual fundraising pages on Everydayhero.

Read more about our competitors below:

Adam Blair

Adam is a professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Warriors, New Zealand Kiwis and the New Zealand Māori.

Adam likes a good challenge and appreciates that his career puts him in the spotlight as a role model for Maori.  He was happy to accept our MoveMeant challenge as an opportunity to raise awareness of diabetes in New Zealand.  

Ariana Omipi

Ariana is a well-known New Zealand influencer with a focus on food, health and lifestyle.

In recent years she has been going through a lifestyle transformation through fitness and healthy eating and she shares her journey with her Instagram followers

Ariana is excited to be involved in the challenge and encourage others to live healthy, active lives.

Athena Angelou

Athena is the host Drive on Flava radio, and was a contestant on Celebrity Treasure Island representing Diabetes NZ in 2019.

Athena’s mother was diagnosed with prediabetes a few years ago which has encouraged Athena to adopt a healthier lifestyle to look after her own mental and physical well-being.

Beth Morris

Beth is a Kiwi mum influencer/blogger/adventurer.

Beth is taking part to help raise awareness while working on her own daily step count.

Erin Simpson

Erin is a TV presenter starting her career on What Now? Erin will be remembered by a generation of Kiwi kids from The Erin Simpson Show.

Erin has joined the challenge to raise awareness of the importance of movement and to beat husband Zac Franich.

Jay Wanakore

Jay was part of a ‘husband and wife’ duo on My Kitchen Rules and has subsequently published their family friendly cookbooks with his wife Sarah.

Jay knows first-hand the cruel reality of diabetes having lost whanau because of it.

Jay is competing to inspire and encourage healthy eating and healthy movement for Kiwi families.

Jess Blair

Jess is a nutritionist and naturopath, doing a post graduate studies in health promotion with a major focus on chronic illness in Maori health and would LOVE  to work in this space.

Jess knows first-hand what life can be like for someone living with type 1 diabetes growing up with a cousin who was diagnosed at 4 years old. 

As mum of two boys, a wife and student Jess knows the challenges of movement and fitting it into her busy lifestyle. Jess sees the challenge as an opportunity to prove to herself that she can fit it in and BEAT ADAM.

Mandy Duncan

Mandy is a popular lifestyle and parenting influencer with a breezy feel-good vibe over her channels. She is a mother of three who loves to keep active and healthy.

The challenge is an opportunity for her to connect with this very important cause.

Maurice Trapp

Maurice is founder of the Maurice Trapp Group and a board member of Diabetes NZ. Maurice’s interest in diabetes stems from when he learnt that a friend with the condition had to pay a 400% loading on his insurance - Maurice wants to advocate for this to change.

The MoveMeant Challenge provides the opportunity for Maurice to and push himself to achieve his personal target , but most importantly, he hopes to raise awareness, create change and hope.

Melissa Jack

Melissa is a parenting and lifestyle blogger and personality. On both sides of her family there are people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes so Melissa is passionate to help raise awareness.

The challenge aligns with a long-term journey Melissa has to move her body more and regain her strength, fitness and confidence that had slipped away over the years. 

Melissa is determined to model a healthy lifestyle that shows her sons what healthy habits can achieve and it’s never too late to make purposeful change in your life.

Mike Puru

TV personality and radio DJ/presenter, this is how most New Zealanders' know Mike.

Mike has been a supporter of Diabetes NZ for a number of years and featured on our 2019 Diabetes Action Month campaign video. 

Mike is keen to push himself during the challenge to keep active.

Rachel Grunwell

As a wellness coach Rachel uses scientifically supported strategies to teach her clients how to move well, eat well, think well and live well.

Rachel also writes about wellness trends for magazines and newspapers (+ wrote a book) sharing relatable wisdom to help Kiwis be more “well”.

Rachel has taken part in this challenge for a number of years and is driven to be a change-maker.

Rhys Jolly

Rhys is one of New Zealand's leading personal trainers who’s dealt with many clients that are heavily effected by diabetes.

Rhys is back for a second year and aims to make the top-three.  During this challenge Rhys wants to demonstrate that having diabetes doesn’t mean you can’t live a happy and healthy lifestyle. 

Ruby McGill

Blogger, business owner, mum and Type 1 diabetes (T1D) warrior Ruby is determined to live a long, full and healthy life, while sharing her experience to help others thrive with T1D.

Ruby knows that being active makes a real difference to her diabetes management, health and wellbeing. So she would like to encourage other people to give it a go and start moving.

Ruby recognises that incorporating exercise into daily life with diabetes can be challenging at first, but the benefits are huge! She says living with Type 1 diabetes doesn't need to slow you down.

Sarah Chase

Sarah along with husband, Jay, is a recognisable cookbook author who first appeared on My Kitchen Rules.

Sarah and Jay want to be role models for the younger generation.  They want to use their platforms to show the youth how to live healthier lifestyles so they can have a better quality of life.

Siaosi Anamani

Is an activist for the Walking Samoans initiative who took up the challenge as sadly diabetes is very prevalent within his community, especially within the Pacific and Maori communities.

Siaosi’s goal is to inform and empower the Pacific Communities to minimise the risks of getting diabetes, understand ways to manage diabetes and seek help if they do have diabetes.

Sir Eion Edgar

Sir Eion is the patron of Diabetes NZ and founder of the Edgar Centre for Diabetes & Obesity based at the University of Otago. As such he determined to raise the profile of diabetes in New Zealand.  Diabetes is the biggest health problem facing our country, it is “the silent Assassin”.

For the third year running Sir Eion will be championing our cause with the other competitors and members of the public to raise over $100,000 for Diabetes NZ.

Zac Franich

Zac first appeared on TV as the third bachelor on Bachelor NZ followed later as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.

Zac’s personal goal is to promote healthy choices and healthy lifestyles.