Matthew Tillman won the boys 14 shot put at the AAU Club Nationals track and field meet in Jacksonville, Florida, last weekend, throwing 14.78 meters, or 48 feet, 6 inches, to finish first in his age division.
Tillman, who attended Gold Hill Middle School and will enroll at Fort Mill High School in the fall, qualified with the win for the 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games, the largest youth multisport event in the country. The track and field portion of the Games takes place at Drake Stadium on the Drake University campus in Des Moines, Iowa, during the first week of August.
Tillman competed unattached at the national meet and topped a field that included throwers from club programs across the region. His winning mark cleared the second place throw by more than three feet.
Tillman also earned All American status this season and finished the school year ranked first in South Carolina among middle school boys in the shot put. He ranks third all time among middle school boys in the state, according to results he provided.
The AAU Junior Olympic Games date to 1967 and draw thousands of qualifying athletes from across the United States each summer. Athletes reach the Games by placing at regional and national qualifying meets during the season.
Tillman is scheduled to compete in the shot put when the track and field events open in Des Moines in early August.
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
