Tayleb Willis

BIOGRAPHY

One good thing emerging from the pandemic was the growth in Australian junior men’s high hurdling. Leading the way was, Tayleb Willis. After missing the 2021 World Juniors due to COVID, Tayleb overcame a broken toe six weeks out from the 2022 World Juniors to finish as the fifth best teenager in the World. In 2023 he didn’t transition well into senior competition and the new hurdle height, but by 2024, now under the coaching of National record holder Kyle Vander-Kuyp, Tayleb was a different athlete, hitting five personal best times as he rocketed to number three Australian all-time.

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An active young kid, that loved to run, Tayleb tried many sports including swimming, karate, ballet, and gymnastics before joining his local Little Athletics Centre at Yarra ranges in Melbourne.
“After trying out every event in athletics I came across hurdling and became in love with it as my flexibility from gymnastics and my natural born speed came together.”
After joining Little Athletics at 8, he made it to State as an U9 where he was favourite to win as he was ranked first, but unfortunately he fell in the race. 
“It put me off hurdles for two years until I saw my older sister Lateisha Willis being very successful over the hurdles which made me want to try hurdling again which I did and that lead me to winning my first state title in the 60m hurdles in U12.”

Tayleb continued to made gradual progression, fourth in the U14 Australian Little Athletics Championships, won his first National medal in the U16s then went on to win five National titles and set various state records.
He clocked very quick times of 13.52/13.43w as a 17-year-old over the 91cm 110m hurdles. After negotiating months of COVID lockdown in Melbourne during 2020, in the summer of 2021, and either side of his 18th birthday, he compiled a stunning series of performances, taking his PB from 14.46 to 13.48 – then the third fastest junior in Australian history.

Along with his fine hurdling his quality sprinting is one of the secrets to his hurdle success. He won a competitive National U20 110m hurdles title in 2021 securing selection in the Australian junior team that didn’t travel to the World U20 Championships due to the pandemic.
Taylab understood the reasons Australia didn’t travel, but was still very disappointed.
“I was gutted because I was in the greatest form ever and was ranked second in the world so had a great chance to medal or even win. I’ve been sabotaged with a lot of competitions cancelled over the past two years due to COVID which hasn’t allowed me to showcase my true talent to the world. Despite this I’ve stuck to my craft and trained harder than ever.”

Going into the 2022 season Tayleb led the best depth in Australian junior high hurdling history, but he was unable to approaching his own lofty standards from 2021, but still managed to place second at Nationals and book a seat to the World Juniors. His buildup to Cali was not idea when he broke his toe six weeks prior, but her still managed a brilliant fifth in the final, behind his Australian teammate Mitch Lightfoot.

His next challenge in 2023 was to graduate to open competition and a new hurdle height. He brought his best down to 13.85, but would finish a disappointing fourth at Nationals.
“I remember after my race at Nationals, I went straight to the toilet, cried and said to myself, “this is not the athlete I am. This is not the athlete I’m destined to be.”

Over the next 12 months, a number of things happened in Tayleb’s life. He changed his support team, connecting with coach Kyle Vender-Kuyp and physiotherapist Sam Leslie. He also was determined to look after those extra little one percenters. “But more than that I’ve matured up from a boy to a man in the space of a year. I think in every aspect of my life, not just athletics, I’ve matured.” He also realised he didn’t have to focus on athletics 100% and have a life off the track.

In his first race in 2024 the change in Tayleb was obvious, clocking 13.66 with a 2.8m/s wind. The next race was a PB 13.79, then a close second at Nationals in a big PB of 13.62. Locked in a three-way battle with athletes who had already competed a senior world championships, the Oceania Championships in June would be a major turning point. On the start line the tension was obvious with athletes unsteady but Tayleb was ready and he claimed a decisive win over his competition, setting another personal best and undoubtedly boosting in confidence. 

Starting the season at number 20 Australian all-time, he was number 10 by Nationals and now after clocking 13.56 at Oceania number six. But there would be more, after jetting off to Canada, six days later he smashed his best again clocking 13.44, as he moved to number 3 all-time.

Occupation: athlete and social media…Interesting Facts: has a large social media following, including 620k on TikTok; has Australian and West African heritage…Other sports: AFL and in the U15s was in the Hawthorn Academy…Hero: Usain Bolt is my sporting hero as I love the way he carries himself on and off the track which I definitely see a lot of him in me. We have the same character…Influential person: his mother, “she does everything for me and is so inspirational in everything she does which is definitely why I’m the person I am today” and his former coach Peter Benifer “Helped shape me into a great athlete/person on and off the track…Hobbies/interests: social media, fashion, music, cars, eating out at restaurants, exploring nature and wildlife is something that makes me happy and hanging out with family and friends…Sporting ambition: “Inspire and motivate the younger generation of athletes in what I do and leave a positive mark in track and field with the goal of winning at the Olympic Games.”…Biggest challenge you faced: Covid interruptions and breaking my toe six weeks before the World U20 Championships…Advice to your younger self: Never give up and always believe in yourself no matter what obstacles stand in your way. Never let anybody tell you…Life: “I used to think that to be the greatest, you needed to be thinking about athletics 24/7, and that I should only be athletics orientated and I shouldn’t have a life outside of athletics, but maturing up, I now know that I you can still be great and do other day to day activities.”

@ 22 June 2024 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au