Saffron’s Journey on the Road to the Olympics

We are thrilled to introduce you to one of our exceptional Gr8 Health athletes, Saffron, whose journey towards Olympic gold embodies the very essence of dedication, resilience, and passion.

Saffron is a Taekwondo champion and her unwavering determination and relentless pursuit of excellence is what makes her gr8! 

Join us as we delve into Saffron’s inspiring journey on the road to the Olympics. Through the highs and lows, the triumphs and challenges, she has remained steadfast in her pursuit of greatness, inspiring those around her with her spirit and resolve.

What made you want to get into this sport and why?

My brother and dad started taekwondo a couple of months before me, my brother would have been around 5 at the time and I was 7. I remember seeing them come home from training one day in their full uniform (Dobok) and belt, and I thought that the uniform was really cool and fashionable, and I wanted one for myself! So I started doing basic self defence/the traditional side of taekwondo and then got caught up in the sparring/fighting class.

Once I started sparring I kind of just fell in love with it. It also helped that I was naturally gifted in some ways (long legs, tall and flexible) but I loved coming to training because I had to work really hard to keep up with all of the older athletes.

Fast forward 10+ years; I just kept showing up and working hard at training and now I’ve been selected to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games qualification event.

What are three things that you do to maintain a healthy lifestyle as an athlete.

Prioritise recovery time; recovery during sessions (i.e ice bath, compression boots) as well as sufficient ‘down time’ on days that I don’t have training. Keep my mind active in different ways; I’m currently studying and working alongside my training. I find that doing extra activities outside of training helps to stimulate my brain in different ways. Make sure I’m fuelling my body correctly (not just from a calorie point of view, but from a marco’s point of view) which is extremely important for athletes who do high intensity sport, and particularly sports with a weight making component like taekwondo.

How many times a week do you train?

Technical/kicking sessions occur once a day, 5 times a week (Monday to Friday). I also do around 2 extra/individual sessions with my coach either before or after our group technical sessions. From a gym/strength and conditioning point of view, I do 2x heavy lifting sessions a week, and 2 conditioning sessions. For weight management (in the lead up to competitions) I try to stay relatively active on the weekends, and if need be I will do a light steady state session on the watt bike on Sunday.

Was your goal to become a professional athlete with your chosen sport?

When I first started taekwondo, that was definitely not the goal. When I was younger it was all about having fun with my brother and the friends that we made at training. I made my first Australian team (at 13 years old) and got belted first fight at the world championships. After this, I told myself that if I just trained really really hard, theres no reason why I couldn’t be just as good as the other athletes that medalled at this event. This mindset eventually evolved into “I want to go to the Olympic games when I grow up” and I was prepared to do all of the hard work just to live out this dream. I started winning more competitions and by the time I finished school, all I wanted to do was travel the world and fight. So I made the move to Melbourne to pursue my professional athlete career. Flash forward to now, and I’ve almost qualified my spot on the olympic team!

What sporting achievement are you most proud of and why?

Qualifying for the Olympic games. Winning gold at the polish open in 2023. I beat a lot of high calibre fighters at this competition and it was just a really nice reminder and a reinforcer that i am a talented athlete, and that if I keep continuing to work hard, I will achieve bigger and better things.

What gets you motivated?

Seeing other people/my teammates working hard around me. It motivates me to push harder. A big challenge. Something that I know is going to be really hard and that is going to force me to have to work hard.

Which strengths do you believe you have that makes you a good athlete?

I think I’ve naturally been blessed with good genes (thanks mum and dad) from an athletic point of view. But I think my greatest strength is my mental toughness. I’m driven, I know what I want and I’m willing to do anything to get there. I’m tough on myself in good ways and kind to myself when I need to be. I’m willing to learn from others and I always want to work hard and push myself further.

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