Meet 3 elite judoka set to compete at Glasgow 2026
The trio, who train together at Resilience Training Centre in Footscray, are part of a team of 11 elite judokas representing Australia at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. They’ve been training together in Europe in the lead up to the Games and shared an update with us before the Judo competition kicks off on Friday 31 July 2026.
World No. 2 Aoife Coughlan to defend gold
Current World No. 2 for Women’s Judo U70kg (International Judo Federation), Aoife Coughlan is defending her Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medal. Earlier this year she held World No. 1 status, becoming the first Australian to reach #1 on the IJF senior world ranking.
Aoife holds multiple qualifications from Victoria University, having completed a Bachelor of Exercise Science (Clinical Practice) in 2025, and a Bachelor of Exercise Science and Human Movement / Bachelor of Sport and Recreation Management in 2020.
Alongside her Judo training and international competitions, Aoife works at Resilience Training Centre where she coaches and manages memberships. She’s taken several weeks off to train with the team in Europe including a 3-day training camp in Hungary and a 2-week staging camp in Valencia, Spain, before heading to Glasgow next week.
Aoife says she’s “feeling good” in the lead up to the competition next week.
“My training has been going really well, and I've had some good success in competitions so far this year. I look forward to the challenge of defending my title.”
She’s also looking forward to sharing the experience with her sister Maeve: “It’s a special thing to be able to compete together at an event like this and support each other.”
Debut Commonwealth Games for Maeve Coughlan
Maeve Coughlan will compete in the Women’s 63kg category – her first appearance at the Commonwealth Games, “an event [she’s] been chasing for years.”
Maeve completed a Bachelor of Exercise Science (Clinical Practice) at VU in 2021.
Maeve said it’s been good to acclimatise to the warmer weather in Europe for training and is “feeling really good and moving really well.”
“The training camp has been a great opportunity to try out some things on people I've never fought before and that's given me a lot of confidence in my processes.”
In Glasgow, the sisters will be joined by their parents, Maeve’s partner, as well as family members from Ireland, including their 93-year-old Nana.
Amazingly, Aoife and Maeve have another 93-year-old granny, who will watch the competition from home. The Coughlans will spend time with her and extended family in Ireland when the Games wrap up.
Danny Vojnikovich balances study and elite Judo
Bachelor of Sport Science student, Danny Vojnikovich, is also making his Commonwealth Games debut, competing in Men’s under 90kg
He said that balancing university study and elite sport is “always tricky, however being a student at VU is such a fortunate thing – they are so considerate and helpful – allowing scheduling changes to timetables, and extra time for assignments. It really is such a blessing to be able to study at VU.”
He’s been travelling alongside the Coughlans and the broader squad in Europe and is ready to roll.
“We always push each other and lift each other up. Even though Judo is an individual sport we really have a team vibe around us; always pushing each other.”
Most of all, Danny’s looking forward to “just soaking it all in".
"The village life, the other athletes, the great vibes throughout the village, and competing with the rest of the team. Seeing everyone do well and doing myself, my teammates, my coaches, club, and most importantly my country, proud.”
Wishing the competitors the best of luck!
A strong contingent from the VU community will be watching the Games from afar, and extend best wishes to Danny, Aoife and Maeve.
“VU has proudly supported elite and emerging elite judoka as dual-career athletes for many years” explains Scott Cashmere, VU Sport Services Manager.
With Resilience Training Centre in Footscray and the CombatAUS National Performance Centre—Australia’s premier Judo and Taekwondo high-performance facility located nearby in Melbourne, our students benefit from a strong performance pathway. Aoife, Maeve and Danny are excellent examples of athletes performing at their best while supporting one another on and off the mat.
Michaela Petronio, Elite Sport and Performer Coordinator with VU Sport is also excited to watch the trio compete.
“I’m looking forward to seeing familiar faces from VU’s Elite Sport and Performer Program in their element at the Commonwealth Games and cheering them on from Melbourne,” Michaela said.
