When Bridget (Guy) Williams was young, she dreamed of competing in the Olympics. At that time, though, her visions featured her on the world stage showing her skills in gymnastics.

As she reached high school at Hempfield Area, however, Williams shifted her focus to track and field. Now a decade removed from her graduation, Williams has achieved that dream, qualifying in the pole vault for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

On June 30, the 2014 Hempfield Area grad took first place at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Oregon. Williams cleared 15-6.25 feet (4.73 meters) with no misses, punching her ticket to Paris. She will compete with Team USA on Aug. 5-7.

“It has been several years in the process. I remember setting this goal for myself so many years ago and not knowing if I’d fully achieve it, and so for it to be here is kind of a surreal moment,” Williams detailed.

“It’s a joy that I’ve never quite experienced before,” she added.

A PIAA champion with the Spartans in 2014, Williams also claimed ACC gold during her college career at the University of Virginia and took first in the Pan-Am Games in Chile last year.

After she concluded her All-American career at UVA in 2019, Wiliams stayed active in the sport. She joined the Cavaliers coaching staff as a volunteer for the next season, and then made her way to Virginia Tech as a coach in 2020. While she was sharing her knowledge with college athletes, Williams was focused on honing her own skills, with an Olympic appearance in her sights.

“If you’re going to train post-collegiate, I think if you can attach yourself to a collegiate program, it will help you tremendously,” she noted.

While her progress after college has been significant, the groundwork for her career was established during her time with the Spartans. In addition to her individual accolades in high school, she also enjoyed team success, winning a pair of PIAA team titles. Her fondest memory was capturing state gold as part of the 4x100 relay team.

“The coaches really instilled in me and planted this goal that I could chase this sport to college and potentially beyond,” she stated. “When I think back to Hempfield, it’s really fundamental to my career.”

Just a few weeks before she departs for the opening ceremony, Williams plans to put her degree in French to good use. While her focus is on the competition, Williams intends to cherish every second of her time in Paris.

“I think what I’m most excited about is to experience all of it. My hope is that I’m able to be present and take it all in, because another thing that’s not for certain is making another Olympic team,” she said.

While Williams has called Virginia home for the past 10 years, she has not forgotten her roots in the Greensburg area. Her recent success and subsequent fame has allowed her to connect with many people who factored in her career at various stages.

“It makes me really emotional because all of these people…they have poured into me since I was a little girl. Every single person has touched my career,” Williams emoted. “My success is not mine alone, but it’s ours.”