At 162cm, Jerilee Carkeek is shorter than most of the taekwondo fighters she squares up against, but the 22-year-old says she has speed on her side.

Last month, the Endeavour Hills resident outmanoeuvred her opponent at the Australian Taekwondo Championships and took home a gold medal in the under-53kg weight division.

"It (my height) does give me a bit of an advantage, I can be more dynamic with my movement," Carkeek said.

"Mostly it's just working on footwork and speed, I have to get out of their way," she said.

Carkeek held a red belt and won three fights to become the Victorian State Champion - a titel she would defend in November - and earn the right to compete on the national stage.

She started training at Joon No's Taekwondo in Dandenong North three years ago, but always had a keen interest in martial arts.

Taekwondo was attractive because it was an Olympic sport, she said.

When she started training, the new movements were a challenge.

"I was very uncoordinated and kicking was very hard," she said.

"Now that movement is more fluid after practice, it all becomes a bit natural."

Carkeek said she trained six days a week and studied biomedical science at Latrobe University in Bundoora. "Hopefully I can get a job in cancer research," she said.

Jerilee Carkeek is this week's Dandenong Leader Sports Star.