For most middle school students, the end of April means the tail end of school holidays. For Pulteney Grammar’s Tilly Williams, it meant travelling to Brisbane to represent South Australia at the National Junior Athletics Championships, and returning with some pretty stellar results.
Tilly claimed the national silver medal in the under-16 1500m on day one, running 4:23.06, before turning her attention to the 800m, dominating her heat and going on to win the gold medal and national title by three seconds in a gun-to-tape victory.
Her winning time of 2:07.71 also broke a South Australian state record that had stood since 1991. Both performances met the qualifying standard for the World Junior Athletics Championships in Oregon this July, though at 14, Tilly is not yet old enough to compete. Back home, she went on to win gold in the open women’s 5km road race at the Adelaide Marathon Festival in 16 minutes 31 seconds just a few weeks later.
What makes Tilly’s achievements particularly impressive is the broader picture. A Middle School leader, straight-A student and proud representative of Pulteney Grammar in athletics, she also turns out for the school’s First XI cricket team and finds time to play basketball and touch football for the school when she can. She balances the demands of elite sport with the full weight of secondary school life.
Pulteney Grammar has a strong tradition of developing well-rounded students, and Tilly is a fine example, excelling on the track, on the sports field and in the classroom.
Know a student who deserves a moment in the spotlight? We’d love to hear about them: hello@kiddomag.com.au
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