It’s safe to say 2022 was a good year for Haimona Tamati-Te Paki. It came with its challenges, but the 26-year-old from Whanganui rose to the occasion each time.

Haimona was selected to represent New Zealand at the World Kickboxing and Karate Association World Championships in his favoured martial art – Muay Thai – and kickboxing. Not one to shy away from a challenge, he also signed up to compete in the boxing competition the day before the event.

He fought six times in just two days, winning gold in Muay Thai, silver in kickboxing and bronze in boxing.

“I was going over to win but I wasn't expecting to. So winning gold in Muay Thai set the tone for me.

“My next fight for the kickboxing final was an hour after that. I was pretty tired from the Muay Thai final and then the jetlag kicked in. I was knackered mentally and physically drained. But hey, it's all part of it,” he said of the experience.

Haimona spent eight months preparing for the tournament, training twice a day out of Core MMA in Hamilton under the tutelage of Carlo Meister and Ethan Shepp. He also took part in four gruelling training camps, each progressively more intense.

In between training he also found time to win the national Muay Thai cruiserweight title in July.

On top of that he had his work as a rural support officer in Ngāruawāhia and Te Kauwhata.

And just to add a bit more to his busy schedule, he and his partner, Constable Krisieta Palaone, are raising five children.

“I’m pretty lucky that I work Monday to Friday and have an understanding boss,” he says.

Haimona’s quest to reach the top echelons of Muay Thai stretch back far beyond the eight months he spent preparing for the world champs.

His foray into the world of martial arts began at the age of 14 in Whanganui. His mum and dad were both into karate and it was only natural he would follow their lead.

It turned out he was pretty good at it; he won his first fight and then another three in the space of a month.

Despite being gifted with fast hands, fast feet and “long limbs”, as he describes them, Haimona’s greatest asset is his grit and determination to be the best.

It’s an attitude that he carries into his work in the blue uniform. Though he admits he’s not a fan of his colleagues knowing he’s a world champion martial artist.

“I just hate the publicity. I'm happy for my trainers and family to know but I don’t want people to treat me differently. There's a stigma around fighting – ‘you're a tough guy’ – and I hate that sort of persona.”

His attempt to keep a low profile after his win in Wales wasn’t helped when the writer of this article shared his result on social media.

“When I saw the Facebook post about my win I thought ‘Oh f…’,” he laughs.

Haimona has ambitions to one day join AOS or Delta but is happy in his current role as it allows him to keep pursuing his passions outside of work and to take care of his young family, who are his top priority.

He also has more fights on the calendar this year including one in Hamilton this month and an event in Bail next month.

If 2022 is anything to go by, success is again likely to come Haimona’s way in 2023.