Duke to duel for Commonwealth Games crown
Kristyn Comino
4 July 2014: º£½ÇÉäÇø commerce graduate will represent Australia in judo at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, in the first time the sport has been included in 12 years.
"It's my first time at the Commonwealth Games but it's also the first time judo has been at the Games since 2002, so I couldn't be prouder to be competing," Didier said.
Being ranked number one in Australia and 40th in the world in the under 100kg division and having recently won a National Judo Championship title, Didier said he is confident going into the Games.
"I have the sole goal of getting a medal. It's great that I'm ranked first in Australia and 40th in the world as it shows if I put my mind to it I can do anything, so hopefully I can get the results I want at the Games," the 25-year-old said.
"I set a goal two years ago to qualify and it's been a long journey to get there with a lot of sacrifices. It's now a mixture of relief and pride to be competing."
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UC alumnus and judo champion Duke Didier will compete at the Commonwealth Games. Photo: Andrew Croucher |
Didier graduated from the º£½ÇÉäÇø with a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in marketing management in 2010 and now juggles his sport while working as an assistant marketing manager at Colonial First State Global Asset Management. Having graduated from Marist College in 2006, he said the best decision for him was to go straight from school to university.
"Getting my degree was the best thing for me professionally and I'm proud to say my degree is already paying off," he said. "UC were great while I was studying because as an athlete I had to do a lot of international travel and they were very accommodating of that."
The only Canberran in the 13-strong Australian judo team, Didier said he's "proud to be born and bred in Canberra", even going by the nickname 'the Duke of Canberra'.
He flew out from his home town on 3 July to take part in training camps in the lead up to the competition, the first one being in Spain. He said he has had a "solid lead up" of training towards the Games, including camps in New Zealand and most recently in South Korea.
"Having competed all over the world I'm definitely excited to now go to a Commonwealth Games and experience that competition. I've earned this, it's great that everything I've done has paid off and I can now go on the trip of a lifetime," he said.
"I love competing and I love fighting, so to get to do what I do at such an elite level is a dream come true."
Other Commonwealth Games competitors from the º£½ÇÉäÇø include: sprinter Melissa Breen (athlete in residence), middle-distance runner Emily Brichacek (alumna), cyclist Gracie Elvin (student), weightlifter (student), hurdler Lauren Wells (alumna), Hockeyroos player Edwina Bone (alumna) rugby 7s player Tom Cusack (student) and athletics para athlete Richard Nicholson (alumnus).
The 20th in Glasgow, Scotland run from 23 July – 3 August 2014.