Te Puke Muay Thai fighter Emma Diprose has just got one more win under her belt.

Diprose is a world-class athlete who already has lot of wins to her name – and she’s just added the Industrial Athletic Athlete of the Year at the 2025 Adams Academy Awards to that list.

The 25-year-old is a rising force in the professional fighting scene, steadily building a solid reputation for her skill, resilience and competitive edge.

She sits at number two on the World Boxing Council (WBC) world rankings and is coming off the back of four consecutive wins against international fighters.

Career highlights so far include a bronze at the International Federation of Muaythai Associations’ World Championships as well as a New Zealand title.

Next up is her WBC Muay Thai Welterweight World Title fight tomorrow, December 6, at Mercury Baypark Arena.

Impressive

Emma has been an Adams Academy athlete since 2019 and her journey has been an impressive one, with years of commitment and training culminating in her taking home the top prize at the 2025 Adams Academy Awards.

Te Puke's Emma Diprose announced as the winner of the under 23 female 75kg world title at the IFMA Muay Thai World Championships back in 2022.

“A lot of work has gone into it, and I think the academy has definitely helped that,” Diprose said.

“Especially being a single-athlete sport, there’s quite a lot of isolation, and the academy allows me to be around the other athletes, which I think pushes me more.”

Diprose said that’s the part that had probably benefited her the most. “For years it has just been me training literally by myself with my trainer and then, now, I can be around other athletes who share the same values, same goals and you’re not really alone.”

The Adams Academy is a high-performance sport programme based at the Adams Centre on the outskirts of Blake Park in Mount Maunganui.

Relentless work

Head strength and conditioning coach Loretta Hogg said what set Diprose apart was the relentless work she’s put into her mental game. Diprose had committed to both sport psychology and clinical psychology, Hogg said.

“The shift in her confidence and composure has been profound,” Hogg said.

“She began as a very nervous athlete who really struggled with self-belief and was still recovering from a significant setback after sustaining nerve damage in her leg,” she said

“Her progress is a credit to her resilience, consistency, and willingness to do the uncomfortable work.”

Te Puke's Emma Diprose back in 2019. Photo / Supplied

The 2025 Adams Academy Awards saw more than 25 local athletes recognised and celebrated for their sporting success, both at home and abroad.

The academy is sponsored by Carrus, and general manager Scott Adams presented the awards.

In awe

“I’m in awe of the massive talent that continues to come out of our region and out of the country … it inspires all of our kids all over the country to see anyone can be a world champion, they just have to work hard at it and if you really put your mind to it and put your heart into it, you can accomplish anything,” Adams said.

“It’s not just about elite performance and fitness it’s also about recovery and it’s good to know if our young athletes get injured, they know that’s not the end for them, they can come in here and they can get better and they can come back stronger. That’s what I really like about it.”

The academy works with 127 aspiring and established athletes across 27 different sporting codes, from triathletes, cricketers, surfers and runners to hockey and squash players, track and field athletes, gymnasts, footballers and more.

It plays a crucial role in supporting young athletes as they begin their sporting careers.

Many academy members are teenagers still at school and this is their first taste of training in a high-performance, state-of-the-art gym environment. As well as working one-on-one with a strength and conditioning coach, they have access to a dietitian and sports psychologist, as well as a sports science laboratory with a full array of testing equipment, including an environmental chamber – one of only two in the country – which helps athletes prepare for international competitions in varying climates.

Adams award winners

P3 Recovery Emerging Athlete of the Year: Jayden Murphy (Surf Life Saving).

Smith Sport Shoes Junior Emerging Athlete of the Year: Emma Merson (Squash) and Jaxon Woolley (Para Athletics).

Body In Motion Road to Recovery: Zion Samuels (Athletics).

Sustain Speed Nutrition Resilience Award: Maggie Hammond (Surf Life Saving).

Industrial Athletic Mahi Award: Cole Hulsebosch (Mountain Biking).

Diligence Certificates: Phoenix Ottesen (Mountain Biking), Ryan Addison (Hockey), Kodi Grant (Hockey), Millie Dyck (Surfing), Jack Lord (Squash), Marshall Flint (Cricket), Harry Burns (Cricket), Bryn Roberton (Cricket), and Oliver Norwood (Cricket).

Outstanding Performance: Lulu Miller (Gymnastics), Vihan Chatbury (Squash), Jessie Speedy (Mountain Running), Dan Shanahan (Surf Life Saving), Taylor Thibeault-Moore (Football), Grace Richardson (Canoe Racing/Surf Life Saving), Kaitlyn Black (Athletics), Hannah Berry (Triathlon).

Scholarship Recipients: Adams Academy Six Month Scholarship: Conrad Visagie (Triathlon).

Adams Family six-month scholarships: Michael Sutton (Mountain Running/ Athletics), Andrea Lilley (Wakeboarding).