With her WAIS team behind her Caitlin Parker eyeing gold in Birmingham and Paris

After not achieving the results she wanted in Tokyo, Caitlin Parker is working closely with her team of service providers at WAIS including Physical Preparation Specialist Michael Dobbin, dietician Beth Allanson, psychologist Courtney Riggs and Performance Services Program Manager Laura Piromalli as she eyes gold in Birmingham and Paris

With an uppercut, jab, then hook to finish the job off, Caitlin Parker has established herself at the top of the Australian boxing world. 

The 26-year-old is an eight-time Australian Champion and is the only Australian boxer to win a medal at both a Junior and Youth World Championships. 

It was Parker’s dad who initially got her into combat sports, to learn self-defence, though boxing was not where the journey first started.

“I first got into boxing when I was eleven, I basically got into combat sports because my dad wouldn’t let me walk to school by myself until I got a black belt in Taekwondo!

“The great thing about my childhood, is that my parents got me to try a whole bunch of sports. I played rugby, cricket, I did Jujitsu and I even danced, but turns out I’m fairly ungraceful.

“But boxing just provided me with so many opportunities and I just fell in love with the sport.”

With her first fight under her belt at just thirteen, it took her eight fights until she came across her first loss at the Junior World Championships.

With plenty of success in the early stages of her career, it was no surprise that at her first Commonwealth Games in 2018 she won silver.

“It was honestly one of the best experiences in my life to date. To have the Commonwealth Games in Australia and have my family there to cheer me on, was an absolute buzz and a memory I’ll never forget,” said Parker.

“My favourite moment was when I first walked out to the ring. As soon as I walked out, the crowd roared and I chucked my hand in the air and said ‘YEAAAAA’, I was so excited.”

Fast forward a few years including COVID-19 lockdowns, she went on to represent Australia in the Tokyo Olympics. And although the campaign didn’t go the way she had hoped, the memorable experience only added fuel to the fire for her desire to improve. 

“The Olympic Games have been my number one goal my entire life. As I’ve progressed throughout my career, this goal has shifted, not to just competing at the Olympics, but becoming the first Australian female Olympic medallist for boxing.

“To go to Tokyo and it not go my way, I was gutted. But the experience was incredible and I’m so grateful I was able to go considering the uncertainties with COVID-19 at the time.

Despite the disappointment, Parker quickly reset and turned her attention to new goals with her team at WAIS.

“My goal is to go to Paris. I have two more years where I can better myself to be ready. With the help of the team at WAIS I’ve now got this team behind me: Dobbo for strength and conditioning, Beth for nutrition, Courtney for psychology and Laura facilitating it all.”

A month out from the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Parker has her eyes set on the top step of the podium and turning silver to gold.

“I want to upgrade my 2018 silver medal with a gold one at the Commonwealth Games and I think I have the team to do it now.”