COACHES WHO’VE ACTUALLY DONE IT.
OUR TEAM
Every coach at ELEV8 has competed, trained, and earned their place on the floor. Not one of them will teach you something they don't know inside out.
MEET THE TEAM.
THE COACHING TEAM
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Daniel Kovacic
Founder · BJJ · Fitness
BJJ practitioner since 2008, with a decade of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and time training Aikido in Japan before that. Founded ELEV8 to build the gym he always wished existed.
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Reza Hassanloo
Freestyle Wrestling
Iranian National Wrestling Champion. Reza brings elite-level competitive experience to every session — the kind of wrestling knowledge that only comes from the very top of the sport.
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Theo Vlamis
No-Gi BJJ
AET black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the Australian Elite Team — the number one BJJ team in the country. Theo's No-Gi game is as technical as it gets.
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Somchai Chimlum
Boxing · Muay Thai
Former Lumpinee champion, Thai National Team boxer, and Olympic competitor at the Sydney 2000 Games. One of the most credentialed striking coaches in Australia.
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Melissa Hall
Fitness · CrossFit
An experienced fitness and CrossFit coach with a passion for helping members build real athletic capacity. Melissa's sessions are challenging, structured, and always worth showing up for.
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Thomas Fox
Olympic Lifting · CrossFit
A dedicated Olympic Lifting and CrossFit coach who brings technical precision to every session. Thomas coaches the snatch and clean & jerk with a focus on movement quality and progression.
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Joe Riego
Olympic Lifting · CrossFit
Director of the Master League, former owner of CrossFit Anaconda, and one of Melbourne's most experienced CrossFit coaches. Joe has built and led high-performance training programs for years.
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David Roberts
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
BJJ brown belt with strong competition experience. David coaches with a focus on fundamentals done at a high level — the foundation every good BJJ game is built on.
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Nicole Kovacic
Co-Founder · Fitness · Nutrition
Competitive strength trainer, marathon runner, and sports nutrition specialist. Nicole ensures ELEV8's programming covers the full athlete — performance, recovery, and longevity.
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Zhihong Wang
Sanda Wushu · Boxing · Muay Thai · MMA
Active MMA fighter, freestyle wrestler, and Sanda competitor. Zhihong leads the Sanda Wushu program at ELEV8 — bringing real competitive experience across striking and grappling.