Six media agency professionals have been crowned VMO’s 2026 Ultimate Media Champions, sharing in more than $60,000 in prizes after six weeks of training and a high-stakes grand final across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on 14 October.
They are: Steph Simmons (UM) & Simon Martin (Dentsu) from NSW; Georgie Lanyon (OMD) & Max Timmermans (OMD) from Victoria; and, Sophie Vennells (Omnicom Group) & Campbell Macwhirter (OMD) from Queensland.
B&T’s Oliver Cerovic also took part and placed well. Or so he says.
Now in its third year, the Ultimate Media Champion (UMC) is an Australian media industry competition designed to unite agency professionals through a shared commitment to health and wellness.
VMO once again partnered with Fitness Lifestyle Group (FLG), owners of Fitness First and Goodlife Health Clubs, to activate the competition across select flagship clubs, which are also locations of VMO Active, VMO’s dedicated health and wellness media network.
Over six weeks, 250 media agency professionals across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane took part in a comprehensive training program designed to challenge and support both physical and mental well-being. Team training sessions were led by Fitness First and Goodlife Health Clubs’ top personal trainers, and participants had access to expert-led online modules covering mental fitness, facilitated by Gotcha4Life; sleep health, delivered in partnership with MOOD and facilitated by sleep expert Lisa Maltman from The Sleep Connection; as well as breathwork and nutrition.
The program culminated in state-based finals on 14 October, where one male and one female competitor from each city was crowned a 2026 Ultimate Media Champion. Each of the six champions takes home 320,000 WORLD360 Rewards points, a 12-month Platinum gym membership to Fitness First or Goodlife Health Clubs valued at $1,938, and the coveted 2026 Ultimate Media Champion title and belt, valued at $1,100.
Second place in each category receives a $2,000 G Adventures voucher, while third place takes home a $300 Muscle Nation voucher and a Theragun Relief Massage Gun.
“Three years in, the Ultimate Media Champion continues to show what’s possible when our industry puts health and well-being first,” said Paul Butler, managing director of VMO. “Week after week, we watched participants push themselves, encourage each other and build real connections across agencies. Through VMO Active, we’re proud to keep championing initiatives that make a genuine difference to people’s physical and mental well-being.
“Thank you to every participant for your energy and commitment, and congratulations to our 2026 Ultimate Media Champions.”
The 2026 Ultimate Media Champions are:
NSW
Winners
Steph Simmons – UM
Simon Martin – Dentsu
Second place
Sydney Cramb – OpenMind
Jeremiah Mullard – Nunn Media
Third place
Natalie Armstrong –EssenceMediacom
Thomas Grainger –Wavemaker
VIC
Winners
Georgie Lanyon – OMD
Max Timmermans – OMD
Second place
Hannah James – Starcom
Delwin Lim – Initiative
Third place
Michaela Tan –WPP Media
Charles Ly –Zenith Media
QLD
Winners
Sophie Vennells – Omnicom Group
Campbell Macwhirter – OMD
Second place
Haylee Russell – OMD
Padraig Stone – Omnicom
Third place
Kate Klibbe – OMD
Jai Kuruvita – Dentsu
Andy Chamoun, executive general manager of Fitness Lifestyle Group Australia, said, “Watching 250 people from across the media industry train side by side for six weeks has been a highlight of our year. Our personal trainers love being part of UMC, and the VMO Active network has once again shown how a shared goal can bring a whole industry together. Congratulations to this year’s champions and to every participant who gave it their all.”
The Ultimate Media Champion has been made possible with supporting partners: Fitness First and Goodlife Health Clubs, WORLD360 Rewards (part of Flight Centre Travel Group), G Adventures, Muscle Nation, UnLtd, Gotcha4Life, MOOD, The Sleep Connection, Quest Nutrition, Hydralyte, 2XU, NIVEA and Elastoplast.
