Yesterday, regionally-based talented athletes to enjoy a High Performance Experience at the VIS.
A selection of regional Victoria’s most exciting sporting prospects had the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of Australia’s Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth and World Champion athletes at a High Performance Experience at the Victorian Institute of Sport.
The regional athletes, identified through the Regional Academy of Sport network and identified as potential future VIS scholarship holders, visited the world-class facilities at Lakeside Stadium in Albert Park on Tuesday 10 July 2018, and experienced what it takes to be an elite athlete.
The talented youngsters undertook a strength and conditioning gym session with an expert Physical Preparation Coach, a talent ID speed and power test with a Sport Scientist, and participated in a practical Pilates session, plus a nutrition workshop and cooking class with a VIS Sport Dietitian.
The visiting athletes also had the opportunity to hear from regional Victorian native, Melissa “Milly” Tapper, about her life as an elite athlete and her journey to the top of Australian and International sport.
The table tennis star, originally from Hamilton, suffered a brachial plexus injury at birth which resulted in Erb's Palsy, a paralysis of the arm caused by injury to the upper group of the arm's main nerves. She was the first Australian to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio 2016.
More recently, Milly delighted a massive home crowd at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games to secure gold in the women’s singles TT6-10, Australia's first since the sport joined the Games in 2002.
VIS Chief Executive Officer Anne Marie Harrison said it is a great opportunity for up-and-coming athletes.
“The experiences will help further develop the strong contribution regional areas already make to the state's sporting success, they will also encourage regional schools, clubs and service providers to develop better programs that promote healthy lifestyle choices.”
The VIS and Regional High Performance Experiences are part of the VIS’ valuable partnerships with the Regional Academies of Sport, and would not be possible without the support of the Victorian Government, who provided a $200,000 funding boost in 2017 for VIS community initiatives to help give talented regional athletes more opportunities to experience VIS facilities and expertise.
Photo credit: Nerissa Turner
