For most high school athletes, winning a state championship medal is enough to define a career., but for recent Lakewood graduate Tilyn Monk, it became just another step in a journey that continues to reach new heights.
Fresh off capturing the state championship in the high jump and finishing as the state runner-up in the long jump at the North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Track and Field Championships, Monk closed out his high school career by competing against some of the nation’s best athletes at the Adidas Nationals Elite Track & Field Championships.
Representing Lakewood on one of the sport’s biggest stages, Monk placed seventh in the elite high jump competition, finishing among the top 10 athletes in a field of 52 competitors.
While qualifying for the national meet was an accomplishment in itself, Monk admitted there were plenty of nerves before the competition began.
“I was feeling a little nervous because my mom and I thought I had qualified in the long jump, triple jump and high jump,” Monk recalled. “When we looked back, I only ended up getting the high jump because we waited too long to enter the other events.”
The adjustment forced Monk to rely on an event he believes is not his strongest.
“Long jump is really where I make my money,” Monk said with a laugh. “But I just went in with a clear mind. I had already won the state championship in the high jump, so I knew I could go out there, clear a good bar and hopefully get on the podium. That’s what I did.”
The emotional roller coaster was not over after the competition ended.
Initially believing he had missed out on a medal after looking at the scoreboard, Monk’s disappointment quickly turned into celebration.
“When I was looking at the scorecard, it said we were all at seventh place, so I didn’t think I got a medal,” Monk explained. “I was really sad at first. Then I went and asked one of the officials, and she told me I had earned one. My emotions went way up.”
Sharing the moment with his family made the accomplishment even more meaningful.
“My sisters and everybody were there, and my mom has always been there for me,” Monk said. “Being able to make her happy and stand on that podium one more time before going to college was a really good feeling.”
Monk’s national finish served as another milestone in what was already a remarkable senior campaign. After proving himself as North Carolina’s state champion in the high jump and runner-up in the long jump, he demonstrated he could also compete with elite athletes from across the country.
The next chapter of that journey will take him to Louisburg College, where he will continue both his academic and athletic career.
“It feels good,” Monk reflected. “We talked about this three years ago. I just had to put my head down and work. Now that I’m more advanced in the sport, I know what I need to do over the next four years if I want to become a professional athlete. If I keep working hard, eat right and stay out of trouble, I know what I need to do.”
Although Louisburg is a bit of ways away from his hometown, Monk believes the transition will be easier than many might expect.
“I like my small town,” he said. “That’s why I wanted to be noticed coming from a small area and put on for my city in ways people haven’t done before. Nobody’s really been to nationals from Salemburg like that.”
He said visiting the campus reassured him he had made the right decision.
“When I visited, it felt like Salemburg to me,” Monk said. “It’s only about an hour and 20 minutes away, and I’ll have my car, so I’ll be able to come home on weekends.”
While Monk is focused on the next stage of his career, he hopes his accomplishments have also created a path for the next generation of athletes in Sampson County.
“I definitely think I’ve inspired a lot of people,” Monk said. “At track meets, people always ask me about my medals, where I got them from, how many meets I’ve been to and how I jump the way I do. I try to help everybody I can.”
That desire to give back extends to his own teammates.
“My teammates like Marquis [Owens] and Graylon [Bethea]; I’ve tried to help them too,” Monk added. “Graylon is going to Louisburg with me, and I’ve always tried to teach people and inspire them. People even call me ‘Jump Man’ at meets because they’re always asking me questions. I just try to do as much as I can.”
For Lakewood, Monk leaves behind one of the most accomplished track careers in school history. For the young athletes who watched him climb podiums at conference championships, state meets and now a national competition, he hopes his story serves as proof that athletes from small towns can accomplish big dreams.
“I think I inspired the people who live in Sampson County and the athletes at Lakewood,” Monk said. “If you work hard, you can get there too.”
His high school career may be complete, but after ending it on a national podium, Monk has already shown that his biggest jumps could still be ahead.