A world champion para athlete and an aspiring photographer have been named recipients of a Bay of Plenty award designed to help disabled people pursue their ambitions.

Tauranga’s Makuini Johnson and Spencer Kirk have been selected as the 2026 recipients of Momenta’s Live the Life You Love Award, which provides up to $10,000 for projects that support disabled people to achieve personal goals.

The award, now in its second year, supports a range of initiatives, from sporting campaigns to creative and community-focused projects. Funding is held in trust through the Acorn Foundation as a long-term endowment, a media release on behalf of Momenta said.

Johnson, a Tauranga-based whaikaha (disabled) Māori athlete with links to Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāi Te Rangi, will use the funding to support her campaign to compete at the 2026 IVF Vaʻa World Sprint Elite Championships in Singapore.

A current world champion para waka ama athlete, Johnson is the only VL2-classified athlete competing in waka ama in New Zealand. The funding will help cover travel, adaptive equipment and athlete support costs.

Johnson said the sport gave her a sense of freedom and allowed her to challenge perceptions about disability.

“I want my story to show that disability does not remove ambition, excellence, or the ability to represent your country at the highest level.”

The second recipient, 29-year-old Tauranga resident Spencer Kirk, was recognised for his Sunrise Spence Photography project.

Kirk, who has Down syndrome, plans to develop his photography skills while building independence and community connections.

He will work alongside a support person to develop skills in photography, editing, planning and sharing his work.

He also hopes to create an online portfolio and social media presence, with a long-term goal of establishing a small photography-based social enterprise, including an annual calendar showcasing his images.

Momenta chief executive Shelley Blakey said the recipients exemplified the purpose of the award.

“People dream big and step into opportunities that truly matter to them. Makuini and Spencer represent what this award is all about.”

She said both recipients were building on their strengths while demonstrating what was possible when people were supported to pursue meaningful goals.

The Live the Life You Love Award is open to disabled people across the Bay of Plenty and aims to support projects that create opportunities for growth, participation and achievement.