At just 16, Mackenzie Macdonald is already one of Australia’s most accomplished young Taekwondo athletes. A 9-time National Champion, 12-time International Medallist, 3rd Dan Black Belt, and now a three-time Team Australia representative at World Championship events, Mackenzie is currently ranked number one nationally, placed 9th in the World Championships in 2026 and is recognised as a Tier 1 High Performance Athlete - recently announced as a member of the Fighting Futures Squad - for Australian Taekwondo.

While Australian Taekwondo continues to strengthen its athlete pathways, funding is limited. As a result, families must self-fund substantial costs, including Club memberships, compulsory training commitments, competition entry fees, compulsory uniforms, airfares, accommodation, and specialist services. Mackenzie's appointment to the Fighting Futures Squad will reduce some of these expenses, with the aim to increase her exposure to high-performance camps and international competition blocks.

The importance of early international exposure cannot be overstated. At the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, 17 of the 32 medallists had previously medalled at Cadet or Junior World Championships or the Youth Olympic Games. These pathways matter, and the athletes competing now are the ones with genuine potential to become future Olympic champions. With LA28 and Brisbane32 on the horizon, Mackenzie's training and competition exposure now - matters.

The estimated cost of Mackenzie’s 2026 campaign exceeds $30,000. The 2026 season, has already included a European Tour and the World Championships in Uzbekistan. Next is the WT President's Cup, the Australian and Korean Opens as well as further training and tournaments in Asia as well as the national Championships.

Mackenzie is proudly aligned with the Aussie Athlete Fund, an organisation dedicated to supporting aspiring Green and Gold athletes and their development journeys. Mackenzie has now been promoted to the Elevate32 program, where just 32 Australian athletes are mentored through an elite masterclass relating to brand, social media and fundraising www.aussieathletefund.com

Thank you for your support, large or small. It truly matters.