Australian Taekwondo and Australian Taekwondo Victoria have joined forces to deliver a National Camp in Melbourne to support and develop athletes who are not currently part of the Performance Pathways Program.
Targeted to state training and grassroots athletes, the three-day camp from July 8-10 will see 90 athletes from five states attend. The camp will work to promote friendship and cooperation within the Taekwondo community and deliver a fun, positive, and rewarding training and educational experience for athletes at all levels.
Athletes will be able to engage in practical training and knowledge building sessions delivered as part of the camp. Key topics related to athlete development will also be covered, including strength and conditioning, core strength development, injury management, and psychological preparation for competition. Small round-robin competitions will also be run among the group. In addition, athletes will have access to medical and physiotherapy assessments throughout the camp.
Those attending will have the opportunity to gain valuable athlete insight and knowledge from Olympian and World Champion Carmen Marton, who will be joined by Sports Performance Coach and Rio Olympics Taekwondo Team Psychologist Ian Snape. A number of interstate coaches will also run sessions to help develop the next tier of Australian Taekwondo athletes.
The National Camp is a joint collaboration between Australian Taekwondo and Australian Taekwondo Victoria, through the work of Australian Taekwondo's National Performance Director, Ross Hartnett, and Australian Taekwondo Victoria Sparring Director, Alf Dellorso.
Dellorso, who is renowned in Victoria for developing many successful programs, will lead the program, imparting 30 years of Taekwondo knowledge and bring his "Athlete First" philosophy to the forefront.
The National Camp is free of charge for all athletes and has been sponsored by Australian Taekwondo Victoria to assist the next generation of Taekwondo athletes with a pathway to high performance. Athletes need to hold a 2022 Australian Taekwondo Membership to be part of the camp.
