Gordon Reid (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are always so proud of our local Central Coast athletes when they compete for Australia at international events. Three athletes who have recently been chosen to represent Australia are Wilheim, Kaine and Tatem Hieber of Saratoga, who will travel overseas to Venice, Italy to compete at the 13th World Cadet, Junior and Under 21 Karate Championships in October of this year. The siblings all started training in karate at the age of four and have continued to develop their skills in the sport ever since. Their selection by the Australian Karate Federation to represent Australia is a testament to their dedication, focus and athletic ability.

Wilheim, who is 19 years old, has also been selected to represent Australia as part of the Australian senior team, for which events will take place in Spain this November. As well as that, he is a student at the University of Technology Sydney, studying for a Bachelor of Marine Biology and Climate Change degree. He juggles all these activities with a casual job on the Central Coast, which is a tremendous effort.

To all three siblings—to Wilheim, to Kaine and to Tatem—I commend you on your selection and wish you all the very best and success in the world at the upcoming championships. I very much look forward to following each of your sporting journeys overseas. A big good luck to all other Australian karate athletes who'll be competing at these championships as well.