How has the system changed in recent years in Australia?
“Now we have our national development centre in Melbourne and although it’s aimed at the seniors at the moment, those who live locally enough and are younger, perhaps juniors or cadets, can be there to train too.
We have a regular national hub session in New South Wales twice per week and that brings the whole state together for general randori and some technical and tactical instruction. Most national and regional training sessions are open to anyone who can get there but distance remains a challenge.
Our funding for the next cycle will be based somewhat on the success shared across all sports housed at the national centre, which is really called ‘Melbourne Combat Centre.’ It includes other disciplines and so although judo didn’t get an Olympic medal in Paris, boxing took two and so there should be a pot of funding available for the new cycle, coming from the beginning of next year. Until that’s certain we can’t plan the next period fully. Funding for cadets and juniors is good though until the end of the year, supported by the Australian Sports Commission.”
Why is it important to be at the Lima World Championships Cadets 2024?
"It’s important for Australians to stay in touch with the real international context, to feel the pressures of elite sport and understand these environments. They’ve been to Europe and have competed at some Panamerican cups but they must feel what it is like to be working at world level, regardless of age, not just watching these events on TV. They must understand sharing a warm up area, meeting the best referees, seeing the different preparation of others, enabling them to manage the environment as they come through into seniors.
We have a relatively small team here in Peru, just 6 athletes, but they all earned their spots from winning matches in cups in different continents. Medals are still in short supply as it is difficult to compete as regularly as we would like. So, we have to make our criteria for participation at the worlds, certainly for cadets, reflect that they have to earn it but that we respect the need for participation and connection as much as the need for wins.”
For every nation the questions of funding, development, exposure, environments and planning are at the forefront of the national team’s processes. Australia seems to have a handle on it, understanding the long term benefits of bringing the right young athletes to the world stage at the right time.