Top 20 Athletics & Sports from New Zealand on Instagram Influencers by Follower Growth

Last updated: September 10, 2025

Total Athletics & Sports Influencers in New Zealand

691

Expected Reach

12.9M

Total Followers

42.8M

Avg Engagement

7.10%

Top 20 Creators

RankInfluencerLocationFollowersEngagementMonthly GrowthScore
1
Liam Lawson
@liamlawson30
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Formula One driver for @visacashapprb โœ‰๏ธ liam@thetalentbakery.com
New Zealand
1.2M
Followers
6.02%
Engagement
+2.6%(+30.4K)
8.0
2
Mitchell Santner
@mitchsantner
Part time New Zealand cricketer Full time golfer Sponsored by New Balance NZ
Hamilton, New Zealand
433.5K
Followers
23.28%
Engagement
+4.7%(+19.3K)
8.9
3
Dan "Hangman" Hooker
@danhangman
Why so serious?๐Ÿƒ @1minutescraps ๐Ÿ”ฅ @thedoctorsocial ๐Ÿค
Dunedin, New Zealand
870.3K
Followers
7.99%
Engagement
+1.3%(+10.8K)
7.6
4
Brendon McCullum
@bazmccullum42
Doubt Kills More Dreams Than Failure Ever Will. ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป @englandcricket Mens Test Team Head Coach. @insignia_sports
Dunedin, New Zealand
1.2M
Followers
5.49%
Engagement
+0.5%(+5.6K)
4.3
5
Itsthatkiwigirl
@itsthatkiwigirl
New Zealand
240.9K
Followers
1.72%
Engagement
+2.0%(+4.7K)
6.8
6
R O B I N G O O M E S
@robin_riding_hood
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ษฏษวษนp ษ sฤฑ สŽษp สŽษนวสŒฦŽ @yeticycles @monsroyale @pocsports @adidasfiveten @envecomposites @srsuntour_inc @shimanomtb @wideopennz
Rotorua, New Zealand
67.3K
Followers
2.25%
Engagement
+6.9%(+4.4K)
8.2
7
Luis Gerstner
@luis_gerstner
be water my friend. Full Send Stuff ๐Ÿ‘‰ @fullsend.de YouTube ๐Ÿ‘‡
New Zealand
36.3K
Followers
2.85%
Engagement
+10.1%(+3.3K)
8.0
8
Jimmy Neesham
@jimmyneesham
Auckland, New Zealand
368.3K
Followers
9.83%
Engagement
+0.8%(+3.0K)
6.2
9
coachlifetennis
@coachlifetennis
The TENNIS education that YOU deserve๐Ÿ“š For players, coaches & parents๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿผ 500+ videos, 29 world class coaches๐Ÿ”ฅ like Netflix but for tennis!๐Ÿคฉ Start here๐Ÿ‘‡
New Zealand
40.7K
Followers
N/A
Engagement
+7.9%(+3.0K)
8.7
10
Coby
@coby.brooks
nz @crew24.nz
New Zealand
30.4K
Followers
9.03%
Engagement
+10.0%(+2.8K)
9.2
11
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe
@porshwoodman
๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง @renee_wickliffe ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Toku Reo ๐Ÿ‰ @blackferns @nzsevens ๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅ‡๐Ÿฅˆ Olympian All enquiries: kelly@cultivategroup.co.nz
New Zealand
187.4K
Followers
10.19%
Engagement
+1.5%(+2.8K)
6.7
12
Xara Jetly
@xara.jetly
๐Ÿ Cricketer - @firebirds_blaze - @rokorsport - @codesportnz Business Inquiries: xjetly12@gmail.com
New Zealand
134.1K
Followers
29.05%
Engagement
+2.1%(+2.8K)
6.9
13
Ava Middleton
@ava.middletxn
New Zealand 15 5,10
New Zealand
170.6K
Followers
N/A
Engagement
+1.6%(+2.7K)
8.3
14
Martin Guptill
@martyguptill31
Husband to Laura โค๏ธ Daddy to Harley ๐Ÿฉท and Teddy ๐Ÿ’™
Auckland, New Zealand
393.4K
Followers
0.00%
Engagement
+0.7%(+2.6K)
7.4
15
Rachel Henley | Online Fitness Coach
@henleyfitness
I help peeps feel confident in the gym with a dose of foul language Coaching ๐Ÿ‘‰ @henleyfitness_liftingclub Join my training app for ยฃ0.26 a day โฌ‡๏ธ
New Zealand
730.7K
Followers
1.33%
Engagement
+0.3%(+2.6K)
7.1
16
Mad Mike Whiddett
@madmike.123
Pro Drifter @redbull @redbullnz @mazda_jp @lamborghini @rotiform @toyotires @chevrolet ๐Ÿ† Formula Drift Japan Champion ๐Ÿ† Pikes Peak record holder
New Zealand
1.3M
Followers
0.35%
Engagement
+0.2%(+2.5K)
4.8
17
Shaun Johnson
@shaun_johnson90
๐ŸŽ™๏ธ @playonsportshow
Auckland, New Zealand
393.9K
Followers
5.53%
Engagement
+0.6%(+2.5K)
8.0
18
Bundee Aki
@bundeeaki
Everything that I have is by the Grace of God. Thank You Jesus ๐Ÿ™ #TeamJesus @intersportelverys @connollysaudi
Auckland, New Zealand
196.6K
Followers
4.88%
Engagement
+1.1%(+2.2K)
7.8
19
Mai Morning Crew
@maimorningcrew
your cousins favourite radio show @teganyorwarth ๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿฆป๐Ÿฝ @fame_teu ๐Ÿšซ๐Ÿš— @thenicksonclark ๐ŸŒณโœ‚๏ธ @arunjamesbeard ๐Ÿคซ 6AM-10AM on @mai_fm podcast on @rova.nz
Auckland, New Zealand
157.3K
Followers
0.00%
Engagement
+1.4%(+2.2K)
6.5
20
Ross Taylor
@rossltaylor3
Father of three, Stags and BLACKCAPS player and wannabe wine connoisseur ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ๐Ÿ‡ผ๐Ÿ‡ธ
Hamilton, New Zealand
400.1K
Followers
51.63%
Engagement
+0.5%(+1.9K)
7.2

About This Instagram Influencer Ranking

Discover the most influential creators in New Zealand with our comprehensive ranking of the top 20 influencers on Instagram who post Athletics & Sports content. This dataโ€‘driven analysis identifies the content creators who are shaping conversations, driving trends, and commanding the highest engagement rates in 2025.

Key Insights & Metrics

  • Combined Reach: 12.9M potential impressions across all ranked influencers
  • Total Audience: 42.8M followers collectively following these creators
  • Average Engagement Rate: 7.10% - significantly above industry average
  • Market Coverage: 691 total influencers analyzed in this category

Audience Demographics & Reach

Audience analysis is currently unavailable.

  • Top Markets: no data
  • Gender Distribution: no data
  • Primary Age Group: no data
  • Languages: no data

Why This Ranking Matters

For brands and marketers, this ranking provides essential intelligence for:

  • Identifying high-performing influencers for partnership opportunities
  • Understanding audience demographics for targeted campaigns
  • Benchmarking engagement rates and growth metrics
  • Discovering emerging talent with strong growth trajectories
  • Analyzing competitive landscape in Athletics & Sports niche

For content creators, these insights help with:

  • Understanding industry benchmarks and performance standards
  • Identifying successful content strategies from top performers
  • Network building and collaboration opportunities
  • Setting realistic growth targets based on peer performance

Methodology & Data Freshness

Our rankings are generated using advanced algorithms that analyze multiple performance indicators:

  • Profile Score: Proprietary metric combining reach, engagement, and growth
  • Engagement Rate: Average interaction rate across recent content
  • Growth Velocity: Month-over-month follower growth and momentum
  • Content Consistency: Posting frequency and audience retention
  • Audience Quality: Authenticity scores and demographic relevance

Data is refreshed weekly to ensure you're always working with the most current information. Last update includes performance data through September 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the fastestโ€‘growing Athletics & Sports creator in New Zealand on Instagram?

Liam Lawson (@liamlawson30) is, as of September 2025, the fastestโ€‘growing Athletics & Sports creator in New Zealand on Instagram, with +2.6% monthly growth (+30.4K followers).

How many followers did Liam Lawson (@liamlawson30) gain last month?

Liam Lawson (@liamlawson30) gained about 30.4K followers last month (+2.6%).

Who grew more: Liam Lawson (@liamlawson30) or Mitchell Santner (@mitchsantner)?

Liam Lawson (@liamlawson30) grew more than Mitchell Santner (@mitchsantner) (30.4K vs 19.3K).

How is Mitchell Santner (@mitchsantner) performing right now?

Mitchell Santner (@mitchsantner) is growing at +4.7% (+19.3K) per month, with a Profile Score of 8.9 and average engagement of 23.28%.

How is Dan "Hangman" Hooker (@danhangman) performing right now?

Dan "Hangman" Hooker (@danhangman) is growing at +1.3% (+10.8K) per month, with a Profile Score of 7.6 and average engagement of 7.99%.

How is Brendon McCullum (@bazmccullum42) performing right now?

Brendon McCullum (@bazmccullum42) is growing at +0.5% (+5.6K) per month, with a Profile Score of 4.3 and average engagement of 5.49%.

How is Itsthatkiwigirl (@itsthatkiwigirl) performing right now?

Itsthatkiwigirl (@itsthatkiwigirl) is growing at +2.0% (+4.7K) per month, with a Profile Score of 6.8 and average engagement of 1.72%.

Who had the higher percentage growth: Mitchell Santner (@mitchsantner) or Dan "Hangman" Hooker (@danhangman)?

Mitchell Santner (@mitchsantner) leads (4.7% vs Dan "Hangman" Hooker (@danhangman) 1.3%).

What is the absolute follower gain of Liam Lawson (@liamlawson30)?

Liam Lawson (@liamlawson30) gained about 30.4K followers last month (+2.6%).

What is the absolute follower gain of Mitchell Santner (@mitchsantner)?

Mitchell Santner (@mitchsantner) gained about 19.3K followers last month (+4.7%).

What is the absolute follower gain of Dan "Hangman" Hooker (@danhangman)?

Dan "Hangman" Hooker (@danhangman) gained about 10.8K followers last month (+1.3%).

What is the absolute follower gain of Brendon McCullum (@bazmccullum42)?

Brendon McCullum (@bazmccullum42) gained about 5.6K followers last month (+0.5%).

What is the absolute follower gain of Itsthatkiwigirl (@itsthatkiwigirl)?

Itsthatkiwigirl (@itsthatkiwigirl) gained about 4.7K followers last month (+2.0%).

Is Liam Lawson (@liamlawson30) still a relevant creator?

Yes โ€” Liam Lawson (@liamlawson30) has a Profile Score of 8.0, average engagement of 6.02%, and +2.6% (+30.4K) monthly follower growth, indicating high relevance.

What is a good engagement rate for Athletics & Sports in New Zealand?

The average engagement rate for this category is 7.10%. Generally, rates above 8.5% are considered excellent, while rates above 5.7% are good. Engagement rates vary by platform, niche, and follower count - micro-influencers often have higher rates than mega-influencers.

How is the Profile Score calculated?

The Profile Score (0-10 scale) is a composite metric that weighs several factors: 40% engagement quality, 25% audience reach, 20% growth momentum, 10% content consistency, and 5% audience authenticity. A score above 7.0 indicates a high-performing influencer, while scores above 8.5 represent elite-tier creators.

Can I use this data for influencer marketing campaigns?

Yes! This ranking is designed to help brands, agencies, and marketers identify potential partnership opportunities. The data provides a starting point for campaign planning, competitor analysis, and market research. For detailed campaign analytics and contact information, consider upgrading to our professional tools.

What does monthly growth percentage mean?

Monthly growth shows the percentage change in followers over the past 30 days. Positive growth (green) indicates gaining followers, while negative growth (red) means losing followers. The number in parentheses shows the absolute follower change. High growth rates often indicate viral content or successful campaigns.

Why should I track influencers in New Zealand?

Location-specific influencer tracking is crucial for targeted marketing campaigns. Local influencers often have higher engagement rates within their geographic area, understand cultural nuances, and can drive better ROI for region-specific products or services. They're particularly valuable for retail, hospitality, and location-based businesses.

How can I improve my ranking as an influencer?

Focus on these key areas: (1) Increase engagement by creating content that encourages comments and shares, (2) Post consistently to maintain audience interest, (3) Use relevant hashtags to expand reach, (4) Collaborate with other creators in your niche, (5) Respond to comments to build community, and (6) Analyze your best-performing content and create similar pieces.

Note: This ranking represents a snapshot of current instagram influence based on publicly available data. Rankings can fluctuate based on content performance, platform algorithm changes, and audience behavior. Use this data as one of several factors in your decision-making process.