With support from Commonwealth Games Australia, Judo Australia has announced the establishment of three national Performance Hubs in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.
These Performance Hubs will provide identified and targeted athletes enhanced training environments in their home locations on a regular basis and will improve the development and quality of elite Australian athletes in these major locations.
Under the direction of the Judo Australia National High Performance Program, the hubs will play an important role in improving the daily training environment for our athletes in an aligned and effective way to ensure synergy and coordination as part of the overall national program.
The Hubs will be led by experienced Head Coaches, with Judo Australia announcing that Catia Maia (Perth), Emilien Freund (Melbourne) and Ivica Pavlinic (Sydney) will lead the respective centres.
The program has been made possible through the financial support of Commonwealth Games Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport, in partnership with Judo WA, Judo Victoria and Judo NSW.
The initiative will ensure further enhancement of Judo Australia’s high performance and pathway programs as well as the ongoing development and progression of identified athletes nationally.
Judo will make a return to the Commonwealth Games program in Birmingham after three previous appearances (Glasgow, 2014, Manchester 2002, and Auckland 1990).
In Manchester, the current Judo Australia Technical Director Maria Pekli won gold in the u/ 57kg division as did Tom Hill in the u/73kg category.
Commonwealth Games Australia is providing $150,000 in funding to Judo Australia to assist with the program, as part of the $13 million funding package announced by Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) to assist with preparations for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The funding from Commonwealth Games Australia is a direct legacy for Commonwealth Games sports and athletes of hosting the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
The total 2019-2022 funding includes $2 million in direct athlete support in the final 18 months leading into the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The remaining $11 million will fund initiatives which CGA believes will most likely contribute to its aspiration of being the number one nation in Birmingham.
The initial grants program consists of $4.155 million in project funding for Birmingham 2022 sports for projects in 2019 and 2020 targeting pre-elite athletes who have their sights set on the 2022 Games.
CGA will continue to work with partner sports and high-performance partners at the AIS, Paralympics Australia and State/Territory Institutes of Sport to ensure the best possible preparation for Australian athletes to compete at the Commonwealth Games.
