Irene Symeonidis (wrestling) is a six-time national champion who will make her Commonwealth Games debut in the women’s 57kg in Birmingham. Irene, who trains at the Mat Masters Academy in Melbourne, tried out a range of martial arts and was drawn to wrestling because of its challenging nature and the passion of her coach Amin Yaqhob. She also played local Australian football for three years as a junior and senior. After achieving a second placing at the Jagsport Invitational in Singapore in 2018, Irene finished runner-up in the 55kg at the Oceania championships in 2019 and went on to compete at her first world championships in Kazakhstan later in the year. She also went to the Africa-Oceania Olympic qualifiers in Tunisa in 2021. Irene works as an IT specialist at an engineering consultancy in Melbourne and wants to remain involved in growing the sport and live a self-sustainable life on a farm after she retires.