Australian Taekwondo has opened a new high performance hub for elite athletes in Melbourne ©Australian Taekwondo

Australian Taekwondo has opened a new high performance hub for elite athletes in Melbourne.

The facility has been created in partnership with the AIS Combat Centre, with support also coming from the Victorian Institute of Sport.

Eleven athletes have been selected to train at the hub as part of its initial intake.

They will all train under national coach Karim Dighou at South Melbourne Football Club.

A daily training environment will be created with athlete services including strength and conditioning, welfare and engagement, sports science and sports medicine support.

Eleven athletes have been selected to train at the hub as part of its initial intake ©Australian Taekwondo
Eleven athletes have been selected to train at the hub as part of its initial intake ©Australian Taekwondo

"In partnership with the Victorian Institute of Sport, we're delivering a holistic approach to enable athletes to thrive," said AIS director Peter Conde.

"And with the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games now just two years away, we're hopeful this additional investment will provide a stimulus for enhanced international performances."

Australian Taekwondo chief executive John Gradisar welcomed the news.

"The establishment of the high performance hub provides the foundation for our elite and developing athletes to regularly train together, which is a critical factor for a combat sport's daily training environment," he said.

"We are very grateful to the AIS for their commitment to our joint initiative for the hub, and for the holistic services that the Victoria Institute of Sports brings to support our athletes."