Rising taekwondo star

Year 8 Glen Waverley student Holly Victor has had an exciting month, winning a bronze medal at the Korea Taekwondo International Open Championships, before winning gold at the Victorian Taekwondo Championships. Holly worked particularly hard to compete in Korea and the 14-year-old was the youngest entrant in the Under 18 junior athletes group, and one of only two Australians to be placed in the competition. This event is part of the international circuit that athletes must compete in to gain crucial ranking points to maintain their world ranking for Olympic selection.

Taekwondo has been a part of Holly’s life since she was three years old; she trains at the Melbourne Taekwondo centre where her parents, former World Championship representatives, instruct Holly and other budding athletes. This includes Caroline Marton and the 2013 World Champion Carmen Marton, who Holly admires for their strength and determination.

Training is made up of four sparring sessions a week and two nights of strength training. On top of this Holly also finds time once a week to teach Taekwondo to beginners. She says, “It is such a pleasure to teach what I love and to see other kids loving the sport”.

Holly says every year her passion for Taekwondo grows stronger, she enjoys travelling to competitions and has made wonderful friends through the club and competing internationally. She considers her greatest achievement to date to be winning the Australian Taekwondo Championships, as a black belt cadet, in 2013.

Holly hopes to represent Australia at the 2020 Olympics and to one day win the Taekwondo World Championship. For now, she is focused on competing at the upcoming Australian International Taekwondo Open in Sydney, where she will have the opportunity to compete against athletes from all over the world.

Wesley College wishes Holly the very best of luck in Sydney and looks forward to seeing what the future holds for this rising star.