The St Paul's Catholic High School student won four gold medals and one bronze at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Sydney earlier this year.

She followed that performance with a gold and two silver medals at the Little Athletics NSW Championship, where she broke the state record for the 200 metre sprint.

While the 200 metres is the Fennell Bay resident's favourite event, Dakota is a multi-talented athlete, competing in the 100 metres sprint, hurdles, long jump and shot put.

She also shines as brightly on the netball court.

Dakota was the captain and player's player for the Newcastle under-13s netball team which won the state age title in this year's Division 1 competition.

She was also named as captain in the NSW under-13s team.

Dakota puts her stellar year down to old fashioned hard work.

"I trained harder [this year] to get my achievements at the Australia Junior Athletics Championships and Little Athletics NSW," she said.

Dakota's good form has seen her selected in Lake Macquarie's athletics team for the International Children's Games (ICG) in December.

Unfortunately, she will miss out on competing at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships in Adelaide in order to compete in the ICG.

But Dakota said competing for the host city in the ICG was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Her long-term goal is to compete in the Commonwealth Games in the 200 metres.