Name: Craig Manson

Age: 29

From: Ashburton

Occupation: Interior Plasterer

Weight: 100kg

Height: 179cm

Craig is into his 7th year on the highland games circuit. His interest grew from an involvement in Olympic athletics – shot put, discus etc – and powerlifting and weightlifting.

He enjoyed watching the explosiveness of the Highland Games athletes so signed up for an open day run by the Hororatoa Highland Games organisers under the tutelage of 17 times New Zealand Highland Heavyweight Champion Patrick Hellier.

Craig went on to become New Zealand Champion two years running. A knee injury prevented him from defending the title this year, however he still holds the Australian national title for the second year running and last year was top-placed Kiwi and finished 2nd equal in the Oceania Championships at Hororata.

He recently competed at the New Zealand Rural Games and can now lay claim to being New Zealand’s gumboot throwing champion, with a distance of 42.33m.

At 100kg, Craig is one of the smaller competitors on the circuit.

He has competed in Australia twice but has aspirations to travel further afield internationally in the sport.