Emerging athletes take centre stage at the AIS

While senior squads flew the green and gold at competitions overseas, July at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) provided a valuable window for junior and pathway athletes to step into the spotlight. 

As the Australian Dolphins headed to Singapore for the World Aquatics Championships, Swimming Australia invited 64 of the country’s top age-group swimmers to make a splash of their own at the AIS.  

The Next Wave Invitational Competition Camp simulated an international competition environment, featuring a week of racing, team building, and performance reviews designed to develop the next generation of Dolphins ahead of Brisbane 2032. 

Netball Australia nurtured some of the sport’s emerging talent through on-court skill development and off-court education during an under-17 camp, while Artistic Swimming held a 10-day youth camp ahead of the upcoming world championships in Greece.  

The action continued at the AIS Combat Centre. Wrestling Australia hosted a national training camp led by Olympian Jayden Lawrence, Australian Taekwondo combined education workshops, fight scenarios, and strength training during their own performance pathways camp, while Boxing Australia held an under-13 development camp and a final training camp for their youth team heading overseas to compete.  

In total, eight different sports held 10 camps in July, with 333 athletes, coaches and support staff visiting the Canberra site over the four-week period.