ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Julia Bellanger

The East County Observer and Bogey’s Restaurant and Sports Pub have teamed up to showcase the East County’s top athletes. Each recipient’s article will be featured on the restaurant’s wall.

The Out-of-Door Academy eighth-grader Julia Bellanger finished third in the mile (5:40.68) at the Sarasota County Championships March 25, leading the Lady Thunder to a seventh-place finish. Bellanger also competed in the 3,200-meter-relay and finished eighth in the high jump.

Here is an inside look at this week’s Athlete of the Week.

What is your favorite event?
The mile. I’ve been placing in it lately, and I like to win.

What made you decide to join the track team?
I did cross country, and I played JV soccer. I decided to do track this year to cross train and to keep in shape. Plus, I like to run.

What do you enjoy the most about running?
If you had a hard day at school or something, then you can let all that go when you run.

What are your favorite subjects?
Spanish, drama and art and history.

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
New Zealand. I researched it once in a lower grade, and it seemed like a really beautiful country with a lot of neat stuff to do.

Do you have any siblings?
Yes. I have a 10-year-old brother named Olivier.

Do you have any plans for Spring Break?
I might go see some of my friends in Orlando, but I still plan to run. I may do one of the county 5K runs.

What’s your favorite type of movie?
Romantic comedy. I like to laugh.

What’s your favorite book?
The Twilight Series. They have really good detail, and it makes it so you can’t stop reading. It’s hard to put it down.