Jemima Montag Play On Scholarship

On Thursday 5 December, Maccabi Victoria hosted the Presidents Breakfast, bringing together Maccabi leaders from our community for an inspiring and energising start to the day. We were privileged to welcome Olympian Medallist, Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist, Maccabi Victoria Hall of Fame Member, Maccabi Athletics Life Member, and proud Maccabi alumnus Jemima Montag as our special guest.

The Inaugural Play On Scholarship 

A standout highlight of the morning was the heartfelt presentation of the inaugural Maccabi Victoria Play On Scholarship. The scholarship was first announced at the Maccabi Victoria Hall of Fames members’ dinner last month. Established in recognition of Jemima’s commitment to encouraging young girls to remain active in sport, the scholarship will support a young female athlete competing at the state level or higher, covering her Maccabi Athletic Club registration fees for a year. This scholarship, designed to break down barriers to girls’ participation in sport, was awarded to 11-year-old Sofia. Sofia has shown incredible determination—making the 100m final at the Victorian Primary Schools Championships after winning her local and regional competitions! As a first-year member of Maccabi Athletic Club (just like Jemima at 12!), Sofia has been deeply inspired by Jemima’s feats on and off the track. In a selfless gesture, Sofia announced she will donate the scholarship back to the club to support another athlete—truly embodying the spirit of community and generosity.

A Conversation to Remember

Jemima also took part in a thought-provoking interview with Maccabi Victoria Co-President Dean Mohr. Their conversation was as insightful as it was motivating.

Jemima shared her experiences with altitude training, her strategies for competition, including mantras and coping techniques during races, her strong coaching team, and her approach to goal setting, which have been pivotal in her athletic career. She spoke about the importance of self-belief and her journey in cultivating it, especially during her teenage years when she questioned her place in the sporting world.

She also highlighted the importance of having a few strong, supportive people to lean on. For her, those anchors have been her mum and sister (and close family), who have provided unwavering support throughout her journey.

Jemima’s viral post-race interview was played for the attendees, demonstrating how Jemima’s ability to think about the bigger picture drives her success on and off the track. Jemima encapsulated her philosophy with a powerful message: “Play on is my message. I want them to know that this journey isn’t without its challenges, particularly around the age of 16 and 17, I certainly questioned my place on the sporting field and whether I wanted to take it to this Olympic level. But the message is it doesn’t matter if you’re doing sport for fun in your backyard with your girlfriends or whether you want to take it to this Olympic medalist level.”

She continued, “Sport is about community, a sense of belonging, making friends, looking after our physical and mental health, and learning amazing life skills like dedication and leadership, which are all such great things for the next generation of women and girls. So play on in your own way, whatever suits you, and yeah, we belong here.”

Commanding the Room with Humility

Throughout the morning, Jemima commanded the room with her grace, grounded wisdom, and genuine humility. Her ability to connect with everyone in the audience—from our youngest athlete, Sofia, to our seasoned Maccabi presidents—is a testament to her character and her unwavering commitment to empowering and inspiring those around her. Her words were a powerful reminder of the values we strive to instil within our community and the impact of sport beyond the playing field.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Jemima Montag for sharing her journey and motivating our Presidents to take on 2025 with renewed purpose and vision. Thank you, Jemima, for being a role model and an enduring source of inspiration for our community.