JORJA Peace has conquered hurdles under immense pressure in recent weeks.
The Cohuna Little Athletics Centre member, 11, recently returned home from the Western Country Regional Track and Field Championships in Ballarat and the Little Athletics Victoria State Championships in Melbourne with a haul of medals.
Jorja won gold medals in the 60-metre and 80-metre hurdles and bronze in the 200-metre and 100-metre sprints at the regional event, held on February 20 and 21.
The Cohuna Consolidated School student’s first placings qualified her for the State championships, held on March 19 and 20 at the Casey Fields Athletic Facility.
Although Jorja finished 17th in the under-12 60-metre hurdles and 19th in the 80-metre hurdles events, she did manage to break her personal bests of 11.21 seconds and 15.93 seconds, respectively.
“The best part of little athletics is being able to compete in the hurdles and to compete with other kids and be able to challenge myself against the State’s top performers,” Jorja said.
It has never been a smooth leap for Jorja to make it to the State championships.
“The second time I nearly tripped over the missed my stride, but third attempt I finally did good,” she said.
Jorja said she role models are Australian hurdler and 2012 Olympic gold medallist, Sally Pearson, and arguably the fastest man in the world, Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt.
“Hurdles are definitely harder than say discuss and long distances. Your stride has to be right and in time. If you stuff up at the start of the race you are blown out. In the middle passage I can quickly change if something goes wrong,” she said.
Jorja also competed amongst 80 girls in Australia’s richest footrace, the Stawell Gift, during the Easter long weekend.
Jorja finished first in the Little Athletics Victoria Girls’ 100-metre heat, third in the semi-final and sixth in the final.
