About Me

An NCAS National Level coach with 30 years Olympic Weightlifting coaching experience at club, state, national and international level developing athletes from beginner to international representation.

Currently coaching 60+ athletes including multiple Australian Reps at Cougars Weightlifting Club Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and remotely in Australia and the World.

Article on Working with Tia-Clair Toomey in the Morning Chalk up

 

Delhi Commonwealth Gold Medalist and Dual Olympian Damon Kelly and Melbourne Commonwealth Gold Medalist Ben Turner

 

Coaching Experience
Over 39 Internationals including

Olympics
• Section Manager and Head Coach Rio 2016.
• Section Manager and Head Coach London 2012.

World Championships
• World Senior Championships 2015, 2018, 2021
• World Junior Championships  2002, 2006, 2007, 2008
• World University Championships Head Coach and Manager 2003, 2008

Commonwealth Games
• Commonwealth Games Coach Birmingham 2022
• Commonwealth Games Coach Gold Coast 2018
• Commonwealth Games Coach Glasgow 2014
• Commonwealth Games Coach Delhi 2010

Pacific Games
• Pacific Games Coach PNG 2015
• Pacific Games Coach Samoa 2019
• Pacific Games Head Coach Soloman Islands 2023

Oceania/Commonwealth Championships
• Senior Oceania & South Pacific Championships Head Coach 2010
• Senior and Junior Commonwealth, Oceania & South Pacific Championships Head Coach/Manager 2006
• Commonwealth Senior and Junior Championships Head Coach/Manager 2008
• Senior and Junior Commonwealth, Oceania & South Pacific Championships   Coach 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016,2017, 2023
• Junior Oceania Championships Assistant Coach 2001, 2002, 2003

Other AWF Internationals
• World Youth Championships Coach 2013
• NZL v AUS – Head Coach 2012
• Australian Youth Olympic Festival Assistant Coach 2013
• Arafura Games Head Coach 2007 2011
• Arafura Games Coach/Manager 2005
• Australian Assistant Coach Mermet Cup 2004

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Qualifications, Certificates and Awards

– BEng Brunel University
– Australian Sports Medal
– NCAS National Weightlifting Coach Licence
– Certificate IV in Fitness
– CrossFit Level 1 
– International Category 2 Referee
– Senior First Aid and CPR

Brandon Wakeling 2020 Olympian

 

47 Athletes Coached to Senior and Junior National Teams

Damon Kelly 105+Kg 2008 Beijing /2012 London Olympian
Commonwealth Games Gold, Silver and Bronze Medallist
World University Championships Bronze Medallist 2010
Also World Senior, World Junior,  Mermet Cup, Senior Oceania and Junior Oceania Representative
Tia Clair Toomey 58Kg 2016 Rio Olympian
Commonwealth Games Gold  Medallist
2nd in 2015,2016 Crossfit Games and Rookie of the Year 2015
2015 World Senior Championships
2015 Pacific Games and Oceania Silver Medalist
2014 Pacific Cup Gold medalist
Brandon Wakeling  73Kg 2020 Tokyo Olympian
2022 Commonwealth Games Representative
2021 Commonwealth Championships Team Member
2019 Pacific Games Gold Medalist and Commonwealth Record Holder
2018 World Championships Representative
Ben Turner    77Kg Commonwealth Games Gold and Silver Medallist
Best U20 Lifter Oceania Championships
Also  World Senior, World Junior, Mermet Cup, Senior Oceania and Junior Oceania Representative
Joel Wilson 69Kg Commonwealth Games 5th Place
Senior and Junior Oceania Champion
World Junior, Senior Oceania and Junior Oceania Representative
Robert Galsworthy 105Kg Commonwealth Games 5th Place
Senior and Junior Oceania Champion
Ebony Gorincu 71Kg Commonwealth Games 6th Place
2021 Oceania team member
2021 Commonwealth Championships Team Member
2019 Pacific Games Gold Medalist
2016, 2019 Commonwealth Championships Representative
Brenna Kean 59Kg Commonwealth Games 5th Place
2021 Commonwealth Championships Team Member
Jessica Edge 53Kg Commonwealth Games 11th Place
Senior and Junior Oceania Champion
Andrea Miller  69Kg 2014 Senior Oceania Representative
NZ National Champion
David De Rose 69Kg World University Championships Representative
Senior and Junior Oceania Representative
Anthony Salsone 77Kg Junior Oceania Championships Bronze Medallist
Junior World and Junior Oceania Representative
Troy Hewkins 77Kg Senior and Junior Oceania Champion
Best U20 lifter Australian National Championships
Senior Oceania and Junior Oceania Representative
James Norman U15 69Kg 2015 World Junior Championships Representative
2013 Australian Youth Olympic Festival 4th Place
2012 World Youth Representative
Junior Oceania Championships Medallist
Mary Barter 48Kg 2015 Pacific Games and Oceania Silver Medalist
Mitchell Delbridge 77Kg 2015 Pacific Games Bronze Medalist
Macy Brockhurst 81Kg  2023 Oceania u23 Gold Medallist
Briony Challis 64kg  2023 Oceania u23 Gold Medallist
Jett Gaffney 56kg 2018 Youth Olympics Representative 
2017 Oceania Youth Gold Medalist
Harrison Gaffney U17 62Kg 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games Representative
Junior Oceania Representative
Nya Hayman 59Kg 2021 Oceania  Team Member
2021 Commonwealth Championships u20 Silver Medallist
2022 World Youth Team Member
2023 Commonwealth Championship 
2023 Oceania U20 Silver Medalist
2023 World Junior Championships Representative
Layla Bloom 64/71Kg 2021 Commonwealth Championships Team Member
2022 World Youth Team Member
2023 Oceania U20 Representative
2023 World Junior Championships Representative
Tessa Milton 69kg 2018 World University Championships
Ayrton Risby 73Kg 2023 Commonwealth Championship Youth Bronze Medallist
2023 Oceania U17 Bronze Medallist
Luke Gardner U20 105+Kg Junior Oceania Championships Medallist
Australian and v NZ Cup representative
Ryley Porter U20 77Kg 2015 Commonwealth Championships Representative
Josh Wu U15 56Kg/62kg 2013 Australian Youth Olympic Festival Bronze Medallist
2012 World Youth Representative
Junior Oceania Championships Medallist
Jack Gibson 73kg 2023 Commonwealth Championships U20 Representative
Grace Davies 64kg 2021 World Youth Team Member
2021 Oceania  Team Member
2021 Commonwealth Championships Team Member
Joshua Sargeant 89kg 2021 World Youth Team Member
2021 Oceania  Team Member
2021 Commonwealth Championships Team Member
Desree Barnes 53Kg 2017 Oceania  Youth Silver Medalist
Saige Groves 64Kg 2024 Oceania  Youth
Isabel Grylls 76Kg 2024 Oceania  Youth
Sienna Lambert 45Kg 2024 Oceania  Youth
Tayla Stephens 59Kg 2021 Commonwealth Championships Team Member
John Downes 94Kg 2017 Commonwealth Youth Silver Medalist
Adam Smidt 94Kg 2017 Commonwealth Junior Bronze Medalist
Kolby Green 62Kg 2018 Oceania Youth Bronze Medalist
Lucy Manion 58Kg 2018 Oceania Youth Silver Medalist
Dillon Fisler 89Kg 2019 Oceania Youth Bronze Medalist
Jonathon Pakchung 77Kg 2013 Australian Youth Olympic Festival Representative
Ethan Catlow-Elliott 77Kg 2017 Commonwealth Youth Representative
Keisuke Hisashi 77Kg 2017 Oceania Junior Representative
Maddy Black 63Kg 2018 Oceania Junior Representative
Josh Brady U20 77Kg Junior Oceania Representative
John Yamasaki U20 62Kg Junior Oceania Representative
Nathan Kahi U18 69Kg Junior Oceania Representative

 

Tia-Clair Toomey (2018 Commonwealth Games Gold medalist and 5 times winner of the Crossfit Games) started her lifting at Cougars