The 13-year-old athlete will compete in three Olympic disciplines against some of the sports top Australian athletes in the under 15 and 17 age groups.
Melissa comes from a ‘family of fencers’ with everyone except her dad wielding the sword.
Alongside her squad mates, Melissa has trained up to 20 hours per week over the past six months in preparation for the event.
WA Fencing Association’s Ben Peden said he had high hopes for the State squad, which currently boasts the number one ranked competitors in the men’s open epee and sabre categories.
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‘The National Cadet Championships is the first contact with national competition for many of the competitors and is the first step towards world championships and the Olympics,’ Peden said.
The event is at the Steel Park Leisure Centre in NSW from July 5 to 10.