Embargoed until 8pm Saturday 03 October 2026

For Mikee Donato, writing is that secret, second life “where all the real stuff happens”.

It’s a life that has now earned her New Zealand’s richest short story prize, with her story ‘Wilding Pines’ taking out the 2026 Sargeson Prize, sponsored by the University of Waikato.  Following two characters on a journey from the top of the North Island towards Wellington, ‘Wilding Pines’ weaves together fleeting encounters, snatches of conversation and small moments in a distinctive, voice-driven story.

Ms Donato was named winner on Saturday at the annual Frank Sargeson Memorial Lecture and Sargeson Prize at the University, taking home $15,000 in prize money after the competition attracted a record number of entries. The biggest win in her writing career comes five years after she placed second in the Sargeson Prize. “That’s what prizes do – they give you a sense of, ‘Oh, I know what I’m doing. I’m competent enough at this and maybe I can make something that is half decent artistically’,” Ms Donato says.

Writing has long occupied a different space in her life from her day-to-day work.“I like to do things that are useful, but most importantly, something I am passionate about. My writing is like that second life where all the real stuff happens.” Since placing in 2021, Ms Donato has remained invested in the competition, reading the high quality stories it attracts and considering each year whether the Chief Judge is someone she could impress.“It’s a real blessing to have these sorts of competitions in New Zealand, especially in times of financial difficulty for the country, when so many things can feel like a luxury. But they shouldn’t. We should support these arts; they deserve a place in society.”

Ms Donato describes ‘Wilding Pines’ as a voice-driven story, inspired in part by some of her favourite bands from her teenage years. She was particularly interested in how fragments of dialogue could create texture, character and a sense of place. She began working on the final section of the story while on holiday on the Gold Coast with a friend but arrived back in New Zealand with half a story and no ending. She completed it on the floor at Auckland Airport, finally submitting ‘Wilding Pines’ at 11.50pm, just nine minutes before entries closed.

This year’s Chief Judge, award-winning author and 2025 Sargeson Prize winner Becky Manawatu, says she knew from her first read of ‘Wilding Pines’ that she had found the winning entry. She says the story had an original and assured voice, with its arc slowly and inevitably returning to the beginning and reinforcing the sense that its characters are trapped in a cycle of being “used and forgotten, used and forgotten”.“I chose this story for everything from its style to word choices, to structure, dialogue and plot, as well as its profound understanding of being caught in a churn of wanting to be wanted and then being wanted by careless people.”

University of Waikato Associate Professor in Creative Writing and accomplished author Catherine Chidgey says this year’s record 1,519 entries show just how much energy there is around the short story in New Zealand. “We’ve seen new voices alongside established writers, and an extraordinary range of work – proof that this compact, demanding form is very much alive and kicking.”

Seconday Schools Division winner Haelyn King

The Sargeson Prize Secondary Schools Division was won by 18-year-old Haelyn King for her story ‘When the Pōhutukawa Blooms’, a year after she placed second in the same category.

Her winning story explores youth mental health and toxic masculinity in New Zealand.  “I’ve seen a lot of sadness in people my age and I think it’s probably something that comes with growing up, but also New Zealand has staggering mental health statistics. I want to make people feel like they’re not alone,” Haelyn says.

Ms Manawatu describes the story about friendship as deeply sad but ultimately hopeful. “The reason I was so drawn to this story is the protagonist’s empathy and care, expressed beautifully by the author. This is a thoughtful, moving and hopeful piece on depression, friendship and courage.”

Haelyn will receive $2000 and a one-week summer writing residency at the University, which includes mentoring, accommodation and meals.   A number of outstanding entrants in this year’s Secondary Schools Division have also been selected for nomination for a University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship, which they can take up in 2027 or 2028 if enrolled at the University.

The winning stories will be published by Newsroom in its literary section, ReadingRoom.

Winners of 2026:  

Open Division   

• Winner: ‘Wilding Pines’ by Mikee Donato of Wellington
• Second: ‘Teal’ by Cait Kneller of Auckland
• Third: ‘Alone’ by Lorraine Carmody of Rolleston

Highly Commended 

• ‘Kārearea’ by Charli Chamberlin of Leeston
• ‘Soft Bodies’ by Susanna Elliffe of Oamaru
• ‘Pars pro toto’ by Lena Fransham of Whangārei
• ‘Country Dancing’ by Tasmin Prichard of Nelson
• ‘Previously Airborne Object’ by Hannah Sieberhagen of Auckland
• ‘Cleaner’ by Tess Upperton of Wellington

Secondary Schools Division

• Winner: ‘When the Pōhutukawa Blooms’ by Haelyn King of Green Bay High School
• Second: ‘In Our/My Bedroom’ by Nadia Tan of Maniototo Area School
• Third: ‘Something Original’ by Felix King-Borrero of Long Bay College

Highly Commended 

• ‘Tāonga’ by Tui Bell of Marlborough Girls’ College
• ‘Pony Beads’ by Alec Fernandez of St Peter’s School
• ‘In Flight’ by Iris Guo of John Paul College
• ‘A Brief Return’ by Francesca Haddon of Long Bay College
• ‘Running Parallel’ by Esmé Hollings of Wellington High School and Com Ed Centre
• ‘Lune de Miel’ by Elaine Li of Columba College
• ‘Petine’ by Chloe MacKenzie of KingsWay School
• ‘and the storks flew over the red river’ by Dan Nguyen of Hillcrest High School
• ‘Geode’ by Eleanor Parkins of Western Springs College
• ‘Mereana my moko’ by Hinekerangi Waaka of Villa Maria College
• ‘Golden Nuggets of Guilt’ by Catherine Warman of Epsom Girls Grammar School