FLYING: Anna Trnka of Tawonga South has topped off a year of spectacular sporting achievement in cross-country skiing by becoming dux of Mount Beauty Secondary College. During the summer Anna cycles, runs and road skis accompanied by her training partner, border collie Jasper. Photo: Alex Craig

WITH an ATAR score of 92.8, Anna Trnka, who topped Mount Beauty Secondary College last year, has enrolled in physiotherapy at Charles Sturt University.

However, the demands of her sporting life means she plans to defer her studies for a year.

"I would like to work for a year to have a break from academic work, to earn some money so I can go to Europe at the end of the year, and to put in some training for my skiing," Trnka said.

Physiotherapy has been in her sights even before she was quite sure what a physiotherapist actually did.

"When I was about 10 years old, quite a few of the older skiers I knew were physios so I grew up thinking it would be a good thing for me," she said.

"I am interested in health care in any case: if I had not got into physiotherapy I probably would have done podiatry."

As well as her academic work, Trnka managed to move from the junior team to the senior national women’s team in cross-country skiing.

"I am particularly proud that I am now training and racing with the senior women now," Trnka said.

Also, last season Anna ran second in the senior women’s national sprint championships coming in behind Olympian Esther Bottomley.

She has decided to stay at home and train this summer instead of heading overseas as usual.

"I am hoping to compete in the World Juniors in Liberec (Czech Republic) next year," she said.

"I am really excited about that because I will be on my home turf."

Trnka’s father Michal came to Australia from the Czech Republic 20 years ago to compete in a skiing race, and she has been travelling back to his homeland every year since she was 12 years old.

This time she hopes to go with the national team which will be based in Switzerland and travelling to compete in different events.

Combining elite skiing with a university course does not faze Trnka.

"I have spoken to friends who have done it, and they say for your first and second years you can study full time as well as train and compete, but after that it’s best to go part time," she said.