Matildas star Elise Kellond-Knight’s focus is the Olympics – but also her own photo exhibition
The first leg of a play-off with Vietnam tonight should be the springboard for the Matildas to take a giant step towards another Olympics, and Elise Kellond-Knight would have no trouble filling her downtime in Japan.
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Just 180 minutes away from qualifying for the Olympics, veteran Matilda Elise Kellond-Knight will have another canvas to play with if her team make it to the Tokyo Games.
The first leg of a play-off with Vietnam on Friday night should be the springboard for Australia to take a giant step towards making another Olympics, and Kellond-Knight would have no trouble filling her downtime in Japan.
A prodigious photography portfolio, much of it shot over the past few years while in camp with the Matildas, has reached the stage where a collection of Kellond-Knight’s images are to go on show in Sydney for four weeks from Friday until April 2, with the shooter herself in attendance on March 14.
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It might not be a surprise that a player with more than 100 caps, with a degree in pharmacology and “three-quarters” of a masters in the same, should be looking for ways to use her mind away from training.
The photography became a new way to wile away hours as she recovered from an injury nine years ago, but has become a much bigger focus on tours since.
“I first picked up a camera in 2011 when I had a bad ACL injury and I needed a new hobby that would fill my time,” Kellond-Knight told New Corp Australia.
“I’ve always been interested in landscapes and I read a lot, taught myself really, and everywhere I’ve travelled I’ve tried to reflect it with my photography.
“I’ve been lucky enough to be sent to some awesome places with the Matildas, and hopefully you can see that in the pictures.”
Her work caught the eye of the CEO at a photography store in Sydney, whose gallery has previously exhibited works including those of Daily Telegraph sports photographer Phil Hillyard.
As well as advice and equipment, the company offered her the chance to house her own exhibition, quite a step for a self-declared amateur.
“They had a display of photos by Ray Martin before and that really caught people’s imagination,” she said. “It was a real hit.
“So now it’s my work that goes on display for four weeks.”
Long before that period comes to an end the Matildas hope to be through to the Olympics, though the patience needed for Kellond-Knight’s photography will be a valued commodity over two legs against Vietnam.
Australia struggled in their last game against China to get past a resiliently defensive side, and coach Ante Milicic anticipates a similar challenge on Friday night and in next week’s second leg.
“It'll be one where we need to remain patient at all times,” Milicic said.
“We saw in the last game where they played South Korea, they went to a more back five.
“So we expect them to defend deep, have a lot of players behind the ball, look to quickly counter in transition.
“They've got a lot of speed on the flanks too, quite good technically, so we're expecting a difficult game.”
* Elise Kellond Knight’s exhibition will be at Ted’s World Of Imaging, Ilford Galerie, 317 Pitt St, Sydney until April 2.