Australia’s para taekwondo program will be represented by two athletes on the Gold Coast this month, with Shrijana Ghising and Evie Ruffle set to contest the Australian Open, WT President’s Cup and Oceania Championships in an important competition block ahead of the Para World Championships later this year.

The three-event campaign will provide both athletes with valuable international match experience as Australia continues to build momentum in para taekwondo. With ranking opportunities, high-level exposure and championship preparation all on the line, the Gold Coast events are expected to play a significant role in shaping each athlete’s pathway toward the second half of the season.

Shrijana Ghising enters the campaign as one of the most exciting athletes in the Australian para program. After winning gold at both the WT President’s Cup and Australian Open last year, she has quickly established herself as one of the country’s leading emerging para athletes and a strong prospect for the future. Her rise continued earlier this year when she claimed silver at the Türkiye Open in her first international event, winning three fights to progress to the gold medal match in a standout performance. Training in Melbourne under the guidance of Australia’s Para Technical Lead Jerry Moraitis, Ghising has continued to develop rapidly and is building a reputation as a serious athlete with the potential to help drive Australia toward the Paralympic podium in the years ahead. The Gold Coast events now offer another important opportunity to measure her progress against international opposition and continue that upward trajectory.

Evie Ruffle arrives on the Gold Coast with a very different story, but one that is no less compelling. A former Vice-Captain of the Australian sitting volleyball team, she has made the transition into taekwondo over the past year and will now prepare to make her para taekwondo debut representing Australia in a major competition environment. Despite taking up the sport only around 12 months ago, Ruffle has progressed quickly through consistent training and a strong work ethic, with taekwondo proving a natural fit. Based at the Queensland Academy of Sport, she trains full-time under coach Jess Borg, and her development has accelerated through regular preparation and early competition exposure. While her competitive experience to date has included several matchplay opportunities against able-bodied athletes in club settings, the Gold Coast will mark a  major step into para taekwondo competition. It is a significant moment in her sporting transition and an important starting point in what Australian Taekwondo hopes will be a promising international career.

For both athletes, the Australian Open, WT President’s Cup and Oceania Championships represent more than a run of consecutive events. Together, they form a key part of Australia’s preparation toward the Para World Championships, giving Ghising and Ruffle the chance to build mat time, sharpen competitive execution and continue developing in an international-performance setting.

As Australia’s para taekwondo program continues to grow, the presence of two athletes at this competition block reflects both progress and ambition.  On the Gold Coast, both athletes will take important steps in their preparation for the challenges that lie ahead later this year.