Sport for Women

Carli Renzi on Twitter

Q & A

Do you have a profession outside of your sport? Yes, I work full-time for ANZ in the Institutional Division. My team and the broader group within ANZ have been phenomenal in their support for me. I had not thought it possible to balance my training requirements - particularly the overseas competitions and training camps - with my career at ANZ, but I have received both the encouragement and flexibility to allow me to achieve both. Likewise, training has taught me to work harder and faster. That sense of urgency and efficiency extends to my career at ANZ.

Three words that describe you: Passionate, Playful and Practical.

If I wanted to play your sport, what advice would you give me?: Go to a club and get on the mat today.

What motivates you? I’ve always been motivated to succeed whether at school, sport or work so I guess I’m fairly lucky and haven’t needed to think too much about key drivers. I always celebrate achievements so maybe that’s an inherent motivation.

Q & A

Greatest Sporting Achievement: Judo – Winning the 2010 Oceania Judo Union World Cup. Wrestling – Qualifying for the 2010 Commonwealth Games

Who is your sporting heroine?: Ryoko Tani (nee Tamura) – an amazing Judo player who won medals at five consecutive Olympic Games and won her first major international competition at just 15 years old

How many hours per week do you train/exercise? In the lead up to the Commonwealth Games I was doing 4.5 hours of freestyle wrestling, 6 hours of judo, 3 hours of running and 4.5 hours gym a week. While judo and wrestling are not interchangeable, the cross-training helps to make the most of limited training partners in both sports.

What kind of diet plan are you on? I have quite a tumultuous diet plan. When I have some time to train without an imminent tournament I eat whatever I like and banish the weight scales. Unfortunately, when a tournament is within a month, I pull out the weight scales and try to cut back on my excesses (chocolate, ice-cream and coca-cola) with more measured serving sizes and thought around timing of carbohydrate intake etc.

What do you love about your sport? I love the intensity, contact and strategy inherent in Judo and wrestling. You have to be so quick to capitalise on an opportunity and strategic enough to create them. It’s absolutely exhausting to hold your own against a tough opponent and exhilarating to get the throw or pin to win the match.

If you could change something about your sport what would it be? I love both sports as they are although the ‘no leg grab’ rule in Judo and ‘clinch’ in wrestling are probably the main technical elements I would change. 

The biggest change I would like to make is not related to the sports themselves, but rather people’s perceptions of them – and the people who do them. Judo and wrestling conjure images of large, squat, brawny women. In truth, however, most of the competitors aren't big. The weight divisions begin at 48kg. It’s for all shapes and sizes.


Carli Renzi in the News

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