High jump meets high fashion

HIGH school high jumper Amy Pejkovic's long legs have taken already her to the top in athletics, now they are headed for the world's fashion catwalks.

HER long legs have taken her to the top in athletics and now they are headed for the world's fashion catwalks.

Just a few days after winning a silver medal at the world junior championships in Italy, high jumper Amy Pejkovic is off to Paris in search of an international modelling contract.

At just 16, Pejkovic, from Wahroonga, has already featured in catwalk shows for Chanel and Calvin Klein in Australia.

She's also appeared in Cleo, Russh and Marie Claire magazines and on the cover of Frankie.

Her high jumping has not suffered - she cleared a new personal best of 1.85m to finish second behind Italian Alessia Trost at the World Youth Championships last week.

But Pejkovic, a Year 11 student at St Leo's Catholic College, admits it's a delicate balancing act between school, modelling, and training five days a week for at least two hours.

"It's kind of hard to fit it all in but I manage,'' she said from a hotel room in Italy. ``Sometimes it's hard running in and out of the city for casting calls then back for training.''

Pejkovic has set her sights on a medal at the Olympics, and hopes to compete in London in 2012.

She said she was excited that her modelling and athletics skills were already taking her all over the world.

"I love both and I really enjoy travelling and getting to meet so many people,'' she said.

"On the catwalk you have a bit of an adrenalin rush and going over the bar you get an even higher one.

"I really want to get a gold medal at the Olympics eventually.  You've got to aim high.''

She is travelling to Paris next week to meet high-profile modelling agents after a successful year on the local catwalks.