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#teamCSSM 2021

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Camberwell Sports and Spinal Medicine’s Athlete Sponsorship Program supports local athletes to be the best they can be.

Every year, Camberwell Sports and Spinal Medicine sponsors local athletes from a variety of sports to support them to meet the challenge in their chosen endeavour.  These athletes aren’t generally elite, but they have a passion for their sport and a desire to achieve something special. We love being part of their journey.

Over a 12 month period, as part of #teamCSSM, our sponsored athletes are paired with our team of practitioners and given full access to our world-leading facilities to enable them to take their performance to the next level.

For some of #teamCSSM, their goals are as simple as finishing their local fun run, for others it is to compete on the world stage.  Whatever their goals, we are happy to be there for the ride.

The Best Expertise. A Plan to Improve. Whatever Your Goal.

#teamCSSM 2021

Sarah Gigante

Sarah Gigante

Student / Athlete / Cyclist
Sarah began racing on the velodrome as an 8 year old. Twelve years later she is a road cyclist racing for the American team, Team-Tibco Silicon Valley Bank.  She has represented Australia in the Under 19 category on both the track and road, and worn the green and gold at an elite level at the eSports World Championships.
In July 2021, Sarah had a week to go on her indoor training sessions as she recovered from a broken collarbone, elbow and fibula when she was told she had made the Australian team for the Tokyo Olympics – a dream come true.

Sarah's goal -

My number one goal is to keep enjoying my time on the bike, while also working towards self-improvement and always being a great teammate and hopefully a good role model too.

Sarah’s Team.

Osteopath – Travis Bateman.

Pilates – Kim VanHoorn

Jess Biernacki

Runner / Fitness Instructor / Paediatrician
While Jess works as full time as a paediatric doctor and part time as a fitness instructor, sport is her “happy place.”
Jess first began running in 2013 after having read a few books on running technique, and missing formal sport. Since then, she has gradually built up her distance and speed, and completed 3 half marathons. Jess says achieving her target run time for a target race distance is her biggest achievement in running so far.
As a fitness instructor, Jess is passionate about empowering people to become active and live a healthy lifestyle.
Jess’s Team.

Myotherapist – Adele Agius

Podiatrist – Alicia Schifferle

Jess' Goal -

My goal is to run my first marathon in 2021 with an average pace of less than 5 mins/km.

Jenny Martin

Jen - Lecturer / Researcher / Mum / Runner

After being diagnosed with scoliosis at 14, Jen Martin was told running would be terrible for her back. Fast forward to her 40s – with a full time job and two children, Jen joined an online running club and coped better than expected. Since then, she has run a lot of different races including many half marathons (both trail and road) and three full marathons and says she has discovered that she is capable of more than she ever thought and thrives on new challenges.

Jen's goal -

To finally run a sub-4 hour marathon of course!

Jen’s Team.

Myotherapy – Adele Agius

Physiotherapy & Exercise Rehabilitation – Sally Lynch

Sam McDonald

Student / Pole Vaulter
Sam recently transitioned from the decathlon to pole vaulting and is looking to take his skills to the next level and break through on the international stage.
The university student has been a competitive athlete at the national level for 7 years competing in the decathlon, javelin and high jump.
Sam says pole vaulting is as close as it gets to flying like Superman!
Sam’s Team.

Podiatrist – Alicia Schifferle

Physiotherapist – Sally Lynch

Physiotherpist – Kelsey Thomas

Myotherapist – Jonathan Smyth – Small

Sam's Goal -

In 2021 I am aiming to jump 4.80m at the Australian championships for pole vault. I am also aiming to run my first sub 11 second 100m by the end of the 2020/2021 athletics season.

Find out more about our previous #teamCSSM athletes

teamCSSM 2020