A year 13 Sacred Heart Girls’ College student has been offered numerous track and field scholarship offers from public and private Division 1, 2, and 3 universities in the USA, ranging in value up to $300,000.
Seventeen-year-old Krystie Soloman is a track runner and has won national club champs in the under 18 age group two years in a row, and placed third in the under 20s group this year.
Krystie says she is excited about this opportunity and is looking forward to finalising the placing at the university of her choice.
“In the future I am most looking forward to improving myself and my personal best times and becoming as fast as I can be and to become the best athlete and runner I can be.”
The university scholarship includes travel, sports gear, tutoring, food, accommodation, running entries and school fees. Krystie will leave for the US in August next year.
Krystie plans to study graphic design at university or art, but still has a bit to work through until everything is finalised.
“I am just so grateful to be given the chance to compete overseas and follow my dreams and test my body and push it to its fastest and strongest capabilities, meaning I want to see how fast I can get and where I can go. I don't know where that will take me whether that be the Commonwealth or Olympic stage, but I know that I want to get as close as I can to those world’s fastest athletes and have the potential to be so much faster than I am today.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of all the teachers, staff and students at Sacred Heart who believed in me from day one and encouraged me in all of my efforts and athletic aspirations.”
Sacred Heart Girls’ College principal Catherine Gunn says Krystie is an outstanding young woman.
“She’s highly motivated, diligent and truly kind-hearted. I have every confidence that Krystie will be competing on the world stage. Her dedication and determination to succeed as a young athlete is inspiring and she sustains exceptional standards in all her academic endeavours. Krystie is a fine example of a Sacred Heart student and we have been blessed by her presence in our community.”
“It makes a huge difference and impact on someone with big dreams when they have the encouragement from an entire school who want me to succeed and achieve my goals,” says Krystie.