Massive year for rising triathlon star
The Lakes College’s William McNally has not only graduated Year 12 in 2025, he’s also become a World Champion triathlete.
It’s been a massive 12 months for the rising sporting star, who was part of a relay team which won gold at the World Triathlon Championships at Wollongong in October.
He also placed 8th in the world in the individual sprint race (16-19 Years category) at the same competition.
William followed up these achievements with his first Olympic distance silver at the Noosa Triathlon in the 16-20 years category in November.
His outstanding 2025 run started with gold, silver and bronze at the National Schools Triathlon Championships in Perth in March, where he was captain of the Queensland team.
William is now a Target Talent Athlete with Triathlon Australia pathways program.
“In the near future I would like to compete in the Elite World Championships for U/19s. Only three Australian athletes are chosen for this each year,” he says.
“My goal is to become a professional triathlete and world-class iron man competitor.
“It would be great to make the Olympic team and race on Brissie home soil in 2032.”
William was a 2025 House Captain at The Lakes College at North Lakes and a guest speaker at the college’s Celebration of Sport this year. He won The Lakes College’s 2025 Sports Person of the Year award this year, for the fifth time in a row.
He has also been a popular instructor at TLC Learn to Swim, evident by the hugs his pint-sized pupils gave him as he walked through the Guard of Honour on the last day of Year 12.
William has worked hard to achieve success on the world triathlon stage, training for more than 1400 hours each year.
This equates to 25-30 hours per week, including 4-5 swimming sessions, 4 bike sessions (mixed sessions between 35km-110km) and 5 run sessions (distance sessions up to 21km, interval and fartlek running).
His mantra is “pain is only temporary, regret lasts a lifetime ... work hard to see the results”.
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