Peter Howe
National School under-70 kilogram class judo champion Ruby Gojevic is very quietly understated in her demeanour.
She is full of laughter and you can feel the passion she has for her favourite sport every time she speaks.
The Maribyrnong Sports Academy student took up judo when she was seven-years-old.
“My father wanted me to do a martial arts course,” she said. “He had participated in the sport and thought it would be good for me.
“I was also a good swimmer but couldn’t continue to do both, so when I was nine I made a choice to continue with judo because I just loved everything about it.”
As a beginner in the sport you begin to learn the techniques that underpin the sport.
You then have two choices: you can continue to develop the technique side of the sport called kata or you can head towards combat.
“I love the combat [side],” Gojevic said with a passion.
Her first competition was as an eight-year- old in an under-12 division which had both boys and girls competing.
Gojevic recalls the competition fondly.
“I loved beating the boys,” she said. “The boys had a height and weight advantage which made me focus on my technique to put my opponent to the ground.”
Gojevic became a student of Maribyrnong Sports Academy in 2021 and has immersed herself in the program.
She trains six days a week, three pre-school morning sessions with the judo coach and her other judo team mates where they focus on technique.
Gojevic then spends four nights after school in her club, the Resilience Training Centre and at the National Performance Centre, learning combat techniques and fighting to improve her skills.
She said the training centre was like her second home.
Elite competition is often held on Sundays.
In her spare time Gojevic works as a swimming instructor to complete a very heavy work, training and school regime.
Gojevic is very focused on her schooling which has taken precedence with the past few years being COVID impacted and many competitions not being conducted.
Gojevic has won many medals along the journey and was state champion in 2019.
Now competing in the under-18 and under-21 age groups, Gojevic is very much focused on her process as she climbs through the grades to reach the top.
“My ultimate goal is to represent Australia at the Olympics,” she said. “Right now, I am in the national junior second team and working very hard to improve.
“My biggest asset is my technique. I often fight older and heavier opponents so my balance and speed is critical to get my stronger opponents off balance because I don’t have the same strength.”
Gojevic is currently a brown belt as she’s not old enough to compete to get her black belt.
She’ll be back on the mat soon for her country, as she’s set to compete at the Oceania Championships later this month.
Gojevic is this month’s Don Deeble Sports Award nominee.
The Don Deeble Sports Star 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.
To nominate a monthly winner, contact swrsportsclub@gmail.com or sms 0408 556 631.
