BEING gifted at one sport takes dedication, sacrifice and mental strength to perfect your craft; to do it across two completely different sports takes that engagement to another level. 

Telaya Blacksmith from remote Lajamanu in the Northern Territory is a rising star who is doing exactly that. 

Telaya is breaking records in athletics – in the 100m, 200m and 400m – and making giant strides in long-jump. And as a massive Aussie rules football fan, Telaya is making great gains at the Sydney Swans’ Academy. 

The teenager’s love of track and field events started with Little Athletics and has blossomed through time. 

“I loved running and the feeling of being in the moment,” she said. 

“With athletics, too, you’re also meeting lots of new people in competitions. I think I’ve grown a lot in this sport.” 

“The 400m is the hardest. You have to have speed but also endurance and you need to pace yourself when you run it. There’s a lot of thinking in that event and you really have to focus.

I always looked up to Cathy Freeman and have watched her runs on YouTube, she was amazing, it made me want to do…