Gold medal winner Jemima to walk for Australia in the Tokyo Olympis
Jemima Montag is turning 22 this Saturday and will have a double celebration as she has a confirmed spot in the Australian Olympic Team for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Jemima Montag
Jemima is an Australian racewalker who won Gold for Australia in the 2018 Commonwealth Games 20 kilometres walk event.
In her teens she was recording impressive achievements, winning national junior/age titles. At aged 16, in 2014, she won the national junior/under-20 10000m walk title. The performance secured selection for the IAAF World Race Walking Championship where she performed admirably placing 12th in the 48-person field. In the team event Australia won bronze.
In 2015 she received Outstanding Jewish Junior Sportswoman of the Year (Vic)
Jemima believed she has accomplished so much with the support of teammates and her family.
She said: “At little aths we’d all talk about hoping to be Olympians one day, but it felt like a far off dream. After year 12 my family and I holidayed in Japan, but at this stage, my self-belief and motivation in the sport were at a real low. Not knowing this, my younger sister pleaded that I try to go to the 2020 Olympics, so she could return to Japan for some epic food and cute stationery. I didn’t believe I was capable, but mum’s reassurance that I had what it took sparked a flame.
An Olympic berth feels sacred, exciting and motivating. Sacred because I know it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that isn’t afforded to many. Exciting because it’s a childhood dream come true that gives me butterflies to this day. Motivating because my purpose feels stronger than ever and my ability to reach out to and inspire others will lift. With that support, anything’s possible.
I’m in the gym twice a week with my strength & conditioning coach Cory, my squad uses the heat chamber during certain training blocks and I utilise the recovery, massage, physio and sports dietetics expertise regularly. Since being welcomed into the VIS family in mid-2018, the quality and consistency of my training has really lifted. Having access to everything we need as elite athletes in the one environment – and it’s a fun environment with music playing and people wearing funky socks on a Friday – has been pivotal.”
My next major championship is the world racewalking teams championships in Belarus in May. I’d love to be in the top 10 and then build towards Tokyo from there!”
Jemima is studying a Bachelor of Science with an immunology major at Melbourne Uni. She also works at The Fruit Box Group as a research assistant for their new Corporate Social Responsibility project, which delivers 40,000 free boxes of fruit, veg, milk and bread to food insecure families in Melbourne and Sydney.
Her hobbies include cooking for family and friends, musical instruments (classical on piano, jazz on trumpet), learning languages, travelling, public speaking/debating and braiding hair.
She announced her confirmed spot on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B8U_mVbjgbZ/?igshid=16il57ayc8p8m
