These para-athletes, Dominic Barlow, Jazabelle Murraylee, Damon Vasterink, Brodie Fitzgerald and Mohamad Al Zuraijawi have recently returned from the KPNP Victorian Open Series where they won nine medals (eight gold and one silver) between them.
Despite the tournament being held only on October 20, this deadly quintet of junior and senior taekwondo athletes are already primed for their next challenge.
The group is part of the Koryo Taekwondo Centre in Shepparton and has qualified for the 2024 National Championships in Brisbane from November 8-10.
The group of five will also be hoping to qualify for the First World Para Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Bahrain in late November.
While competing at major events is an exciting time for these athletes, it also brings financial stress and strain on them and their families as they try and cover the costs out of their own pocket.
Koryo Taekwondo Centre assistant instructor Jobelle Collier said watching these athletes compete at their recent tournaments had been an incredible experience.
“I don’t think people realise how special it is to have para-athletes come from our team,” Collier said.
“We see them at the gym all the time, it is so normal for us to train with them, but on the weekend (at the KPNP open series), when we saw them compete and show their skills at the para stage, that was really spectacular.
“Throughout the day no-one clapped for anyone, there were no claps for anyone else, but when the para kids took to the stage, people were so inspired by what they were doing.
“I don’t think we realise the impact they have because they are normal kids who we train with, but then when they are repping us on the national stage, then you realise how big this is and how much further it goes beyond taekwondo and beyond Shepparton.”
To help these athletes fulfil their dreams of competing on the national and world stages, the centre has started a donation page through the Australian Sports Foundation.
Collier said if people were able, any donation would be greatly appreciated by the athletes and the centre and would be used to cover the costs of travel, competition fees, uniforms and other necessities.
“For international competitions, these kids are pretty much self-funded,” she said.
“They can really only go to competitions that they can afford to go to, even though they may have qualified for the world para championships coming up in Bahrain.
“We don’t want the financial side of things to limit their prospects.
“When people give, they can get it back on tax (for donations over $2) and help these kids out as well.”
Although the Paralympics have just been and gone, Collier said the five para-athletes already have their eyes locked on the next Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
“Damon was the gold medallist at the world championships a few years ago,” she said.
“He represented Australia, he was the only representative from Australia for the para.
“At least one of these guys has competed on the international stage before and has done really well, so LA 2028 is definitely within reach for them.”
Koryo Taekwondo Centre also wanted to thank Verney Road School and Family Care for their support in various junior programs.
Head to Koryo Taekwondo Centre’s Facebook page to find the link to donate or click here.
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