High Performance Program Athletes Becoming World Prepared

It has been an extraordinary period for the Bishop Druitt College High Performance Program, with more of our young athletes than ever before taking their sporting talents beyond Australia and onto the international stage.

Our students are not simply dreaming about competing internationally — they are doing it. Across equestrian, mountain biking, football and tennis, HPP athletes are travelling the world to compete, train and experience elite sporting environments. It is exciting to see our students becoming genuinely World Prepared and increasingly recognised for their sporting talent beyond Australia.

Tehani Badke (Year 11) recently travelled to Mexico and the United States for an international equestrian campaign, competing in several events and recording an outstanding three victories. These experiences are helping Tehani build an exciting international pathway as she continues to work towards her long-term ambition of positioning herself for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

Seth Swayne (Year 10) has also taken his sport internationally, travelling to Canada for an extended period of mountain bike training and competition. The opportunity to train and compete alongside World Cup-level athletes and squads has provided Seth with invaluable exposure to the standards and expectations of international competition.

In tennis, Jackson Cheeney (Year 10) was selected as one of just 12 junior players to travel to the United States as part of a Tennis Australia tour. Jackson spent time training and competing at the famous John Newcombe Tennis Ranch in Texas, while also visiting a number of US universities and experiencing firsthand what a future US College pathway could look like.

Zara Harris (Year 9) is another HPP athlete receiving international recognition, selected as one of only four Australian athletes to travel to China to compete in an open equestrian event. This is an incredible opportunity for Zara to represent Australia and gain valuable international competition experience at such a young age.

Closer to home, but with an equally exciting pathway ahead, Diesel van Tilborg (Year 8) has been offered a contract with the Central Coast Mariners. Through BDC Horizons online learning, Diesel will be able to pursue his elite football opportunity while continuing his education as a Bishop Druitt College student. It is a great example of how our College is evolving to support talented student-athletes wherever their sporting journey takes them.

Charlotte Bunny (Year 11) has also received long-awaited national recognition, earning selection in the All Australian Football Team after several years of coming incredibly close. Charlotte's persistence and resilience have been rewarded, and she is now exploring opportunities to continue her football and education journey through a potential US College pathway in 2028.

These achievements represent something much bigger than individual sporting success. Our HPP students are increasingly stepping into international environments, experiencing different cultures, meeting athletes and coaches from around the world and learning what it takes to perform beyond their comfort zone.

This is what being World Prepared looks like.

We are incredibly proud to see Bishop Druitt College athletes being recognised across Australia and around the world. Their opportunities may take them to Mexico, the USA, Canada, China or beyond, but they continue to represent BDC and the High Performance Program with pride.

The world is becoming their sporting classroom — and our HPP athletes are showing they are ready for it.

Nat Titcume OLY
Head of High Performance and Sports Academies 
Three-Time Olympic Medallist | World Baseball Softball Hall of Fame Inductee