Story and photos by Bernice Shepherd
ABOVE: Gold medallist Chris Sauer and silver medallist Aleah Gaundry with their mothers Jenny Sauer and Margarete Gaudry.
Casino locals Chris Sauer and Aleah Gaudry came home with gold and silver medals in judo after representing Australia at the Virtus Games.
They were given a surprise party at Casino Community Garden on Friday to celebrate their achievements.
After a week of competing, staying in a hotel and meeting new people from all over the world, gold medal winner Chris said “I had a great time, I made new friends from different countries and met lots of great people. I’m just getting back to reality now”.
Chris has a varied martial arts background and came to judo when he met Melissa Avgoulas, sensei at Kitsune Judo in Casino. He loved it from the word go.
“It’s good for fitness, good for your mental health and it gives you clear judgment about things.”
Aleah started judo after her sister started going.
“At first I was not too sure, but something felt right. It was calling to me.”
Although Chris and Aleah have gone on to win multiple medals competing around Australia, the Virtus Games was a big one for them.
“I didn’t realise how big it was until I got there,” Aleah said.
Brisbane hosted the Virtus Oceania Asia Games 2022: an international multi-sport event for elite athletes with an intellectual impairment… celebrating people, diversity, sport, ability and culture.
When the two qualified, sensei Melissa did not know how she was going to get them there because the cost of travel and accommodation was really out of reach for the families.
Then Rachel Fisher came up with the sponsorship. Rachel is the founder of Lets Thrive Not Just Survive, a Casino organisation dedicated to helping people with disabilities realise their goals and their potential.
She said “Melissa is a wonderful human being and I was determined to make sure they could go. Just lucky it was in Brisbane.”
Melissa was also selected for the Virtus Games – as assistant manager for the Australian judo team. Having three children with a disability, she is passionate about developing a community where everyone is included.
She has evidently been very successful – her daughter was Australian judo division champion for four years.
Sensei Melissa opened Kitsune Judo in Casino in 2018. It is an adaptive judo club, meaning the sport practised there is modified for people with disabilities. For example they do not use strangleholds, armlocks or other techniques that could pose risks to judoka (judo students).
There are about 15 judoka in the club, with ages ranging from 2–55. And although it is specifically for people with disabilities or mental health challenges, she said “We don’t discriminate, all are welcome”.
She said judo is great for building social skills, helping people to learn things like sharing and turn taking, and for building strength – particularly in the core muscles.
It provides a safe space, “Where people can find their voice, can speak their point of view and have a say in what they want to do”.
The focus is less on competition and more on finding what individuals are good at and what their strengths are.
Melissa has watched many students grow in confidence at the club and said Aleah is a great example of that – from a slightly shaky beginning she has blossomed and now become a mentor and mini coach to newer participants.
Aleah played down her role, saying “I just help the Sensei.”
So what’s next for the two winners?
“I’m hoping to go to France for the 2023 Games in June,” Chris said.
Aleah said she’d love to go, but she’s not too keen on travelling so she will have to see. For the moment she’s happy to be home, “I love Casino more than Brisbane, it’s small, quiet and peaceful”.
Check out the Kitsune Judo Facebook page for interviews with the two athletes plus an amazing Jenga performance by Chris.
