Hurdler and footballer kicking goals for WA

DIANELLA athlete Jorja Elisseou has been chosen to represent WA twice in three months for hurdles and football.

The 13-year-old Sacred Heart College student came eighth in the under-15 girls’ 200m hurdles and seventh in the under-15 90m hurdles at the 2019 Australian Athletics Championships in April.

Jorja was then selected in the 15s girls AFL team in May, which will compete at the national carnival in Launceston, Tasmania, in July.

She previously captained the Subiaco/Claremont District year 7/8 girls to the 2018 premiership and plays as a ruck-rover in the year 9s and 11s girls team.

Jorja said the national athletics championships was a good yet nerve-racking experience.

“I started running in Year 3,” she said.

“After a while, I think running in a straight line gets a bit boring so having the hurdles there just makes it a bit more fun.”

She said it was exciting to be part of a state football team for the first time.

“All of my brothers played football for West Perth,” she said.

“I have played football ever since I could walk.

“(I like) being in a team sport and being there with the other players and getting experience and win with them, rather than being an individual.”

She hoped to bring her premiership experience to the carnival and believed WA had a good chance of winning.

Jorja said she had started to prefer athletics but still loved football.

“At the moment, I am trying to get the all star award for footy, the best player out of the teams at the carnival,” she said.

“Further on, I would like to become an Olympic hurdler or an AFL player.

“We’ll see how far that goes.”