23 June; Mrinal Asija
Melbourne University has hit the trifecta as international student-athletes Mohammed Alharbi, Koki Hayao, and Ehsan Lohrasbipeydeh continue to hit new heights globally in their respective martial arts careers!
It is a tale of threes: each student represents a different country, competes in a different martial arts discipline, and studies for a different degree at the University of Melbourne. What do they have in common one might ask? The answer is simple; dedication, drive and growing success on the world stage.
The University of Melbourne attracts sporting talent from around the world and support elite and emerging athletes in achieving academic success and vocational transition. Student-athletes at the university have the opportunity to get the best possible training and also a world-class education to help them achieve success in sport and careers beyond it.
Our team sat down with these immensely talented student-athletes to hear about each of their journeys; to Australia for study, and back out into the world where they continue to dominate representing their home countries.
Mohammed Alharbi (Saudi Arabia) - Judo
Mohammed Alharbi is a part of Saudi Arabia’s national judo team and has won over 10 gold medals at the national level along with many at the international level. Last year, he bagged the gold at the Saudi Games and won the equivalent of half a million Australian dollars, a moment he described as a life-changing one. He is aiming to qualify for this year’s edition as well.
“I have completely given up going out and partying. I just focus on training and studying,” Mohammed speaks about the tough life of a student-athlete.
Mohammed was first inspired to take up judo by his brother, who was playing for the national team when Mohammed was 12.
“At the age of 12 or 13, my brother got me judo gear with back number and the national letters “KSA” – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – as a gift. I felt so proud going to the gym with the “KSA” on my back and from that moment I wanted to join the national team. From that time, I have been training seriously,” Alharbi narrated the fascinating tale of his introduction to judo.
Alharbi is a Master of Applied Linguistics student at the university and also works as a teacher with the Ministry of Education. The 32-year-old sees himself moving into a coaching role after 3-4 years and hopes that his degree will help him progress as a teacher.
For now, Mohammed is training with the Australian National Judo Team and is trying to balance that with his studies.
Koki Hayao (Japan) - Kendo
Koki Hayao is pursuing the Master of International Business degree at the University of Melbourne and is a practitioner of Kendo. Kendo is a Japanese martial art form that involves fighting with bamboo swords.
As a kid, Koki was given a choice by his father to choose either Kendo, Judo, or Karate as a sport. After watching Japanese cartoons and anime in Kindergarten, he chose to go with Kendo as he was fascinated by samurais and superheroes. has been practicing the martial art since he was six.
“During high school, I stayed in dormitories for training for Kendo and I think that was harder than army because we had to get up at five or six in the morning for training every day and then studied during the day,” while learning Kendo has come with its challenges, Koki also found the experience to be a fulfilling one.
Koki decided to pursue business education in Australia as the country shared a good trade relationship with his native Japan. While at the university, he wants to promote the lesser-known sport to a local audience.
“Kendo is similar to fencing. I imagine fencing is about knights and Kendo is about samurais. If people are interested in Japanese culture, they should try Kendo,” he shared a message for all university students.
Ehsan Lohrasbipeydeh (Iran) - Taekwondo
Ehsan Lohrasbipeydeh has been practicing taekwondo since the age of eight and has won several gold medals at national competitions in Iran and internationally.
Despite being a champion athlete, Ehsan has always been clear that he wants to progress in both sports and academics and is now pursuing a PhD in Physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne. Ehsan believes that his study of physiotherapy is helping him in his sport, while his research also benefits from his experiences as an athlete.
“I have studied many subjects related to sport science and health. Not only do I learn on the field but also theoretically how exercise can help us physically and mentally in sport. I am also a qualified master (coach). Knowing exactly what happens in the body and how the techniques work helps me design training programmes for myself and my students. It has helped me promote my physical fitness and overall well-being,” he said.
Ehsan is currently training for two major upcoming tournaments in South Korea and USA and signed-off with a tip for all fellow student-athletes – “Managing time efficiently is a skill. Commitment and passion towards your sport is very important. When you are determined, your resilience helps you push through those challenges.”