Alex Almoukov

Alex has been actively involved in professional sport for over 15 years. He has competed in two Winter Olympics as a biathlete. Alex has also won a bronze medal at the World University Games, competed in over 10 World Championships and achieved several World Cup points throughout his career; making him the most successful male biathlete in Australian history.

He has mentored and coached many up-and-coming athletes during his career and continues to do so. Alex is an accredited S&C Coach, holds a Bachelor of Sports Science and Certificates 3 and 4 in Fitness.

Alex founded Elite Fitness Institute and became its director after he retired from professional sport in 2016.

A personal message from Alex

“I’ve been in love with sport all my life and have been very fortunate to compete professionally for over 15 years.

I have travelled the world and represented Australia in many international competitions; including two Olympic Games. During my athletic career, I was mentored and trained by the world’s best sports scientists and Olympic coaches. Now, the time has come for me to pass on their knowledge and my own experience to the next generation.

It is crucial to have the right support and guidance when you are starting a professional or recreational sport. I’ve seen many promising athletes fail to reach their potential because they lacked appropriate guidance.

I believe training for young athletes should be structured around giving them a diverse skill-set and showing them how to use their body intelligently (rather than focusing on a single sport and only developing selected muscle-groups and skills). This is crucial as young bodies need time to develop. The young athlete also gains a broad range of skills to draw on later in their chosen sport.

A lot of parents put their children into specialised sport, as that’s what they want their child to succeed in, without realising this narrow focus can impede their child’s future development.”

Callum Watson

Callum Watson is a current member of the Australian Cross-Country World Cup Ski Team, a Sochi 2014 & PyeongChang 2018 Olympian.

Callum is currently completing his honours thesis in Environmental Engineering at the University of New South Wales. He spends much of the off season coaching younger Australian skiers in cross-country racing.

A word from Callum:

“I have competed in over 80 World Cup events, 5 World Championships, and 1 Olympic Games and I continue to learn and progress in the sport. Cross-country skiing has contributed so many wonderful things to my life. It has shaped who I am today and allowed me to experience amazing events, cultures, and environments with some of my closest friends. It’s a passion, and it’s strong enough to make me train to my absolute limit and continue chasing my personal goals.

My coaching work is incredibly rewarding as it enables me to be part of another athlete’s journey. I take pride in helping these future champs rise up the ranks. Their progression is very satisfying to be part of. The older athletes in the sport were huge influences on me and I would love to give that back to others in the same way. Elite Fitness Institute and its programs enable me to do exactly this and I am excited to be part of this energising team.”