NZOC Congratulates Olympian Marcus Daniell

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) wishes to congratulate Olympian #1264 and Kiwi tennis star, Marcus Daniell, who was honoured at the 62nd ISPS HANDA Halberg Awards with the prestigious Sport New Zealand Leadership Award.

The Sport New Zealand Leadership Award celebrates individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities within the sports community.

Attributes that previous winners have demonstrated include fostering team spirit, inspiring others and contributing to the development of sport at various levels.

Daniell's commitment to excellence as a professional athlete, combined with his role as a member of the Athletes’ Commission for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made him a worthy recipient.

"I am truly honoured to receive the Sport New Zealand Leadership Award,” said Daniell.

“It’s humbling to be recognised individually, but this award is also for the numerous people who’ve supported me throughout my career. Leadership in sports is about creating an environment where athletes can thrive, and I hope to continue advocating for positive change within our community,” he said.

Daniell’s work on the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission plays a crucial part in representing the voices of athletes on the international stage, ensuring their needs and concerns are heard and addressed.

He also founded ‘High Impact Athletes’ (HIA) an organisation that connects elite athletes with effective charities to help drive societal change.

“My overarching goal is to enhance the welfare of athletes,” he said.

“I want to help athletes use their voice and platform to advocate for positive changes both inside and outside the sporting arena – that’s my main driver in my work with the IOC and HIA,” he said.

NZOC Chief Executive Nicki Nicol also applauded Daniel on his award and continued drive to help enhance athlete’s lives.

“Throughout his career Marcus has shown a commitment to leadership, advocacy, and excellence in sports serves as an inspiration to all. The NZOC is incredibly fortunate to have a leader of his calibre representing us and our athletes on the international stage. The future of New Zealand sport is brighter with leaders like him paving the way,” she said.

Marcus Daniell career

Olympic Games:
Bronze medal at Tokyo 2020; competed at Rio 2016
World Championships: Competed in 26 Grand Slams between 2015 and 2022 in doubles and mixed doubles

Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Massey University (2015); Graduate Diploma in Philosophy, Massey University (2019); Master of Arts in Philosophy, Massey University (ongoing)

Professional activities:
Founder and Executive Director, High Impact Athletes (3 years)

Functions in the field of sports administration:
ATP Player Council (2021 and 2022); Interim Board Member, Athlete Leaders Network (2023); Athletes’ Commission for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) (2024 ongoing)

Previous winners of the Sport New Zealand Leadership Award:
The Sport New Zealand Leadership Award has a rich history of honouring individuals who have made significant contributions to the sports community. Previous recipients include famed Kiwi Olympian Dame Valerie Adams - two-time Olympic shot put gold medallist. Another notable winners include former All Blacks coach, Sir Graham Henry and Blackcaps Captain Brendon McCullum.

About The New Zealand Olympic Committee

The New Zealand Olympic Committee was established in 1911.

Since then, we have used our unique mandate to select and lead more than 60 teams to Olympic and Commonwealth Games across the globe.

Our athletes and teams are at the heart of our organisation and their stories have become integral to our national identity. They represent Aotearoa New Zealand with honour and pride and the silver fern is a symbol of their sporting success.

For decades our teams and athletes have showcased our unique culture and values on the world stage as well as promoting excellence and innovation through their stories and success.

We are a charity and rely heavily on commercial and other funding partnerships as we promote sport and the Olympic and Commonwealth values and help create New Zealand history. 

We are engaged in education programmes for young New Zealanders and, through Olympic Solidarity and other partnerships, help fund athlete and sport development.

We work in partnership with High Performance Sport New Zealand, which invests significant funding and specialist resources in NSOs, coaches and athletes to support performance on the world stage in New Zealand’s targeted sports.

We are proud to represent the Olympic and Commonwealth sporting movements in New Zealand.

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