A dedicated team of Judo WA members recently flew to Queensland to play a central role in delivering the 2025 Gold Coast Oceania Open at the Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium from 1-2 November.
Leading the event as Event Manager was Simon Read, former Chair of Judo WA and current Chair of Judo Australia. Simon has been instrumental in building Australia’s capacity to host world-class judo events, having successfully led the Perth Oceania Open from 2018 through 2023. His leadership continues to strengthen Oceania’s reputation for professional, athlete-centred international tournaments.
Joining him was Jacob Read, CEO of Judo WA and Communications Director for the Oceania Judo Union, who leveraged experience from the Perth and Mandurah Oceania Opens to support Judo Australia across coordination, communications, and media delivery. This work forms part of a broader strategy to raise the profile of world-level events hosted in Australia and encourage greater international participation – particularly with the 2026 Mandurah Oceania Open scheduled for early May 2026.
The WA contingent also included Krystal Thompson, Cody Robinson, Aramiti George-Hetaraka, Olivia Knights, and Craig Alexander. Together they supported critical functions including:
- Set-up and pack-down of tatami, IT, and event equipment
- Event IT operations, scoreboards, and video review systems
- Weigh-ins, athlete and team services
- Photography, social media, and ticketing
- Transport logistics and on-venue support
Their combined efforts were vital to ensuring the event ran smoothly and maintained the professional standards expected of an IJF-level tournament.
Events of this scale are only possible because of skilled and committed volunteers. The contributions of these WA judoka highlight the power of community – showcasing how expertise developed in Western Australia can elevate Australian judo on the world stage.
Volunteering in judo strengthens our clubs and competitions at home and can open doors to incredible opportunities – from local tournaments to international events. If you’re interested in gaining event experience, we’d love to hear from you.
Interested in volunteering? Keep an eye on Judo WA updates or contact Judo WA to join our volunteer pool. Your next step could lead you behind the scenes at a world-class event.