By LIAM TWOMEY
NATHAN Pellissier knows no barriers.
The 17-year-old, who was born with right hemiplegia cerebral palsy, has spent the better part of the last four years dominating the Australian athletes with a disability (AWD) table tennis scene.
However, not content with a raft of Victorian and Australian representative honours, the Williamstown resident turned his attention to the able-bodied game.
It didn’t take long for Pellissier to show a new set of opponents just how good he is, making the Victorian Under 18 able bodied state team shortly after.
His accomplishments at the highest level were recently acknowledged with his second School Sport Victoria Sporting Blue Award, given only to the most outstanding athletes in the state.
To win one is a remarkable achievement but to claim two is almost unheard of.
Maribyrnong College sport director Rob Carroll praised the outstanding achievement.
“That is very impressive, for him to win both categories on merit,” Carroll said.
“Nathan has got cerebral palsy and that does disadvantage his sports performance so that makes it even more impressive.
“To be awarded as an athlete with a disability in table tennis and then for him to compete in open competition and still come up as the top student in Victoria, you only have to admire that.
“If that doesn’t inspire you nothing will.”
While a hip injury has slowed Pellissier slightly during the first half of the year, the young star is looking to take his game to the next level.
In the coming months he will represent Australia at the Para Table Tennis Thailand Open in Bangkok and at the Oceania Regional Championships, in an attempt to qualify for the World Championships next year in Beijing.
But that is just one thing on a long list of goals Pellissier hopes to achieve.
After training with the Australian Paralympic Preparation Table Tennis Program in the lead-up to the London Paralympics, Pellissier has his sights set on a seat on the plane to Rio.
“For London you had to be top 16 in the world and at the end of the qualification period I was 31,” he said.
“I was hoping but obviously knew it was going to be a hard task. Rio is the main aim now and hopefully it can happen.”
For his outstanding sporting achievements Pellissier has been named this month’s Don Deeble Rising Star nominee.
The award is run by the Sunshine Western Region Sports Club in conjunction with the Star News Group.
Nathan will receive $1000 donated by the Yarraville Club Cricket Club and other prizes to assist in his future sporting goals.
The Don Deeble Rising Star Award recognises young athletes in the western suburbs who have achieved outstanding results at a state and national level.
