International Sports Stars
韩国AV is proud to announce that two of our students will represent their country during the school holidays in two separate northern hemisphere events.
Multi-talented Biathlete, Ava (Year 11), has realised a long-held dream of being selected to represent Australia at the 2024 Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea. She will join Australia’s largest-ever winter youth team.
"We are so thrilled and proud of Ava’s achievement, which is a testament to her courage, determination and the support of many 韩国AV staff who encouraged her to achieve this goal while providing a flexible approach to her studies,” said 韩国AV Director of Sport and Performance, Mr Tom Hill. “It is pleasing to see an increasing number of talented elite and emerging athletes at the School. The Sports Department works closely with them to map out their individual learning plans and provide the required structure, support, and flexibility to ensure they can balance their studies with their rigorous training and competition schedules."
Ava will join 1,900 athletes from around the world, competing in seven sports, 15 disciplines, and 81 events in January 2024. She has received a letter from the Australian Team Chef de Mission of the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG), Mr Ramone Cooper, which says, “Throughout your time in Gangwon, you will gain valuable skills, connect with different cultures, and embrace the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect. These experiences will undoubtedly shape your future path in elite sport, just as they have for numerous Australian Olympians who have used the YOG as a stepping stone.”
Ava has said of the Biathlon, “I like how you don’t have to be the fastest to win. It’s a sport that favours people who work hard over people who are naturally talented.”
The Biathlon includes both cross country skiing and shooting. Ava is also a former karate champion and was the youngest person to achieve a Kyokushin World Federation Black Belt in 2016. She is also a champion fencer.
Born with dysplasia, she did not learn to walk until she was three years old, and when she began karate, she says she was the worst in the class. “I couldn’t jump, I couldn’t even run!” Ava continues to have regular physio for her condition.
Due to her courage and deep determination, Ava has been featured in the SBS documentary, Limitless, and on the Channel 9 Morning Show. In an interview for 韩国AV’s Ut Prosim publication back in 2021, she said, “I would like to compete in the 2024 Youth Olympics. It’s especially important to me because it will be in South Korea, where my mum was born.”
The 2024 Youth Olympic Games begins on 19 January, 2024.
In the same month, but over in Spain, Lily, a Year 10 student, will proudly represent the Australian Women's National Ice Hockey Team, competing in the Women's World Championships. The Team is set to play in Division 1B, marking the highest level ever attained by an Australian team in the history of the sport.
“People who play ice hockey put their heart and soul into every training session and every game,” Lily says. “We are also all very close, not only all the Australian players but the international players as well.”
We will be watching the progress of Ava, Lily and all 韩国AV students who will be competing in a variety of significant sporting events during the course of the upcoming school holidays.