Beach Volleyball great leads the way for future champions
Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) has today announced the Athlete Advisory Group (AAG) through to Victoria 2026, with their input on behalf of all athletes critical to our operations and the success of the green and gold in under three years’ time.
Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Chris McHugh is one of 12 AAG members, with the group comprising members from individual and team sports, as well as para-sport disciplines, to ensure the Group is representative of an Australian Commonwealth Games Team.
The membership has a wealth of experience, with each having competed at the Commonwealth Games alongside other high performance competition environments for their respective sports.
The AAG is composed of the following athletes:
- Paige Hadley (Netball)
- Greg Hire (3×3 Basketball)
- Shayna Jack (Swimming)
- Nina Kennedy (Athletics)
- Matthew Levy OAM (CGF AAC)
- Tahlia McGrath (Cricket)
- Chris McHugh (Beach Volleyball)
- Karen Murphy AM (Bowls)
- Anabelle Smith (Diving)
- Nathan Tang (Badminton)
- Brandon Wakeling (Weightlifting)
- Aran Zalewski (Hockey)
“Helping CGA create a great Games at Victoria 2026 for the Australian team while initiating a long-lasting legacy for sport through to 2032 and beyond is my way of giving back,” McHugh said.
“The Commonwealth Games are an amazing platform for young, up and coming athletes to experience a multi-sport event and is a breeding ground for future champions.”
The AAG will work closely with CGA to provide input and feedback to assist Games planning for the Australian team, alumni engagement and CGA’s role in supporting athletes.
Creating a stronger connection between athletes and CGA, the group will provide valuable insight in assisting CGA to achieve its goals of connecting with communities and pursuing sporting excellence.
The AAG will act as the lead group responsible for enhancing athlete experience and the high performance environment offered by CGA for the Australian team at Victoria 2026.
They will work with CGA across the remainder of the quadrennium to ensure there are opportunities for alumni to connect with the Games and assist in establishing initiatives that make this home Games a memorable affair for the Australian Commonwealth Games Team.
