Peter Howe
What does a mother do with a three-and-a-half-year-old son that has energy to burn?
That was the dilemma faced by Jake Buhagiar’s mother Melissa Buhagiar. Melissa followed her instincts and enrolled him at Hall’s Taekwondo in Tullamarine and the rest is now history.
Buhagiar, who is now 16, is now a three-time national taekwondo champion, with his ambitions clearly set on representing Australia at the 2024 Olympics.
After starting at Hall’s for fun and enjoyment, Buhagiar quickly wanted something more.
“When I was six or seven the training became more regimented and training became more serious,” he reflected.
“I earned my black belt when I was nine. To achieve the belt, I had to display my self-defence skills, boxing skills, show my taekwondo patterns and break boards.”
Hall’s Taekwondo has become his home away from home for Buhagiar. He spends four to five days a week training.
He speaks highly of his coaches saying the coaches are like his second parents.
“I have put all my trust in them to help me achieve my ambition.”
When Buhagiar, who lives in Taylors Hill, became bored with just demo classes, he decided he was ready to fight.
His first tournament was the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, where he won his category.
From there he entered Victorian titles with outstanding results and was selected to represent Victoria at the Australian National titles in Bendigo at just 12.
“I achieved a bronze medal at my first national tournament, which made me even more determined to improve,” he said.
“The following year back in Bendigo I won my first national title in 2018.
“I went back-to-back in 2019 on the Gold Coast and made it a “three-peat,” post-COVID in Sydney in 2022 for 2021 nationals.”
He’s hoping to make it four in a row at the 2022 nationals later this year.
His performance saw him selected in the Australian Performance Pathway Program at the end of 2021.
“It is an amazing program,” he said. “I have a strength and conditioning coach who takes us through a gym circuit every Thursday and a normal training session every Saturday morning with the team at the VIS.
“I am also tested by their coaches, so I know exactly what areas of my body I need to work on and improve to be my best. “
Having had success on the national stage, Buhagiar recently returned from his first overseas tournament, representing Australia in Korea, where he won a silver medal.
“It took me a while to find my feet, adjust to the climate and get over my nerves,” he said. “I was lucky to spend a few days there before my fights.”
He has no time to bask in the glory because he is heading to Bulgaria at the end of the month to compete in a World Championship tournament. He will then head straight to the Gold Coast for the Oceania selection trials.
“To gain Australian selection for the Olympics, you must accumulate points and you do so by competing,” he said.
“I am preparing for the Oceania Championships that will be held in Tahiti as part of the Tahiti Open and the President’s Cup,” in October.
Buhagiar is this month’s Don Deeble Sports Star Award nominee. The award is sponsored by the Yarraville Club Cricket Club, Strathmore Community Bank, the Deer Park Club, Ascot Vale Sports and Trophies and The Star Weekly Newspapers.
If you would like to nominate someone or attend a dinner, contact swrsportsclub@gmail.com or 0408 556 631.
