Calvary Christian College student Marisela Hebson has pulled off a monumental athletic feat, winning selection to compete for Australia in multiple sports at the 2023 World Dwarf Games.
The 10-year-old Thornlands resident and year five student will represent the junior team in football, swimming, basketball and athletics later this year.
Marisela’s talent for swimming was on full display during a school carnival in 2022 where she finished second in all her strokes against peers double and triple her size.
She managed to repeat the dose this year and is now training the house down ahead of the Games, which will be held at German Sports University in Cologne from July 28 to August 5.
Mother Marissa Hebson said her daughter’s passion for surfing, which stretches back to when she was aged just three, has likely contributed to her talents in the pool.
“We figured out that is kind of where it all came from, the years of surfing,” Marissa said.
“She uses her little body like a dolphin, rather than just kicking and using her arms like you normally would if you just learnt in a pool.
“She started off in the surf and it just went from there. “
The year five student still spends her weekends and holidays surfing on North Stradbroke Island.
Her busy training schedule consists of swimming practice three times a week, four days of training for football and running during her spare time.
Marisela will be in good company during the Games, as many of her closest friends are also representing the Australian junior team
It shapes as the biggest event of her career to date.
“It is all very new to us as well. We really didn’t know that she was so good at all of it,” Marissa said
