Stanford University recruit and current Paly senior, Amaya Bharadwaj, is one of the standout track runners on the girls varsity track cross country team. Bharadwaj started on the team as a freshman and quickly climbed her way to the top—becoming one of the best distance runners in the country. Her success as an athlete wasn’t given to her, it’s the result of her persistence, growth, and commitment to constant improvement.
“In my journey from my freshman year to now, I feel I have improved a lot,” Bharadwaj said. “My freshman year I ran a 5:20 mile and now my mile PR is 4:47.”
Similar to many other top athletes, Bharadwaj did not begin her career at the top. Instead, she steadily built herself into an elite competitor, using each season to keep improving.
“I probably started the slowest, my freshman year and I was never that good from the beginning,” Bharadwaj said. “I had to work really hard my freshman, sophomore, junior year to be right today.”
Bharadwaj’s work has allowed her to improve to a whole new level. But that level is not achieved without a goal in mind.
That mindset paid off this season in an enormous way. At one of the biggest meets in the country Arcadia, Bharadwaj delivered a performance that cemented her place on Paly track and field.
“My favorite moment of this season was this weekend,” Bharadwaj said. “I set the CCS record in the 3200 meter [around 2 miles] which is a big deal to me because our record has been in place for 40 years, and I broke it at Arcadia, which is a really big meet with lots of spectators. I was really proud to do that [set a record] and on such a big stage.”
While her senior season brought major success, Bhardwaj’s journey was not without challenges. Even after a strong junior year, she felt that she had not reached her full potential, which only pushed her to elevate her training and mindset.
“I faced my biggest challenge last year: junior year,” Bharadwaj said. “I had a pretty good year, but still by the end I wanted to hit my PR because I hadn’t run 4:47 yet. I felt I was racing pretty badly even though I was in shape to run faster, so that really motivated me to train harder for my senior cross country season. This definitely paid off because I made it to Nike Cross nationals and I got 20th.”
As one of the team’s leaders, Bharadwaj has taken on the responsibility of supporting younger runners, especially those facing the same struggles she has understood and personally experienced.
“Being a leader on my team means a lot to me because I feel I can help freshmen with what I struggled with when I was a freshman,” Bharadwaj said. “I had really bad anxiety before my races, and I see some teammates struggle with that so to help them out I play music, make jokes, just cheer up their overall mood to redirect their anxiety.”
In her time at Paly, Bharadwaj has learned that success is not just about physical ability, but also the mental approach an athlete takes.
“What I’ve learned about myself is that I perform my best when I’m just having fun, I’m not stressed, and I’m calm and relaxed before a race,” Bharadwaj said. “This is even applicable to academic pressures.”
Off the track, Bharawadj credits her support system for helping her stay grounded and motivated.
“My sister is my biggest supporter because whenever I have a big or small race, she always watches the live stream, tracks my results, and texts me after,” Bharadwaj said.
As her high school career comes to a close, Bharadwaj reflects on what she will miss the most about her time at Paly.
“What I’ll miss the most about Paly is all the girls on the team I run with before races,” Bharadwaj said. “I’ve grown so close to them in such a short amount of time and the sisterhood of being on a team together, especially for cross country means the world to me since cross country is super painful, you go through so much during a race, and it’s very tiring, but having your teammate there to support you means a lot.”
William Xue, has been a teammate and friend of Bharadwaj’s since freshman year. Xue has experienced her work ethic firsthand, noting that her commitment to excellence extends far beyond the track and into the classroom.
“Amaya’s character is defined by her incredible drive and determination,” Xue said. “Whether she is putting in the effort to study for a test or leading the pack at athletic practices, she consistently performs to the best of her abilities. She never misses a workout, often running on her own even when school practice isn’t in session, and maintains that same relentless focus during every meet.”
However, Xue emphasizes that this intense competitive drive is balanced by a deep-seated empathy for those around her.
“As a friend, she is genuine, caring, and consistently takes the initiative to catch up,” Xue said. “Her selfless nature also shines through in athletics, sometimes she’ll sacrifice the intensity of her own pace or warmups to run alongside me. Whether as a friend or a teammate, she prioritizes others’ well-being over her own personal benefit.”
Overall, Bharadwaj’s journey has led her to become one of the most outstanding runners in the country, and she is excited for the opportunity to continue striving for more at Stanford University.
Kailia Lemming, Paly senior and multi-sport athlete, will be playing division one flag football at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Her journey through high school athletics has been marked by growth and a willingness to embrace new opportunities.
“My journey from my freshman year to now has been long, but very memorable,” Lemming said. “I started out on varsity cheer and track my freshman year. For the past 4 years I’ve done varsity track and field, improved a lot, and went to CCS my sophomore and junior year.”
While track was initially Lemming’s primary focus, her path took an unexpected turn when she decided to try flag football during the teams inaugural season her junior year.
“With all my track background, I always thought that I’d go to college for track,” Lemming said. “My junior year I started flag football and never thought it would go anywhere but now after playing for two years and joining a club program, I’ve fell in love with the sport.”
Lemming’s ability to evolve and adjust as an athlete reflects the mindset that has driven her athletic success.
“What keeps me motivated is reaching my goals,” Lemming said. “I always set goals for myself to reach to keep myself constantly improving. What motivates me is getting better because I always want to be the best that I can be.”
One of Lemming’s goals is to embrace her role as a leader, both through her performance and her presence as a teammate.
“Being a leader on my teams means setting the example, being not just a good player but a good teammate. Knowing people are watching what I’m doing means acting right and helping others improve.”
Lemming is looking forward to making history as one of the first players to play on the flag football team. She continues to improve her skills every single day and cannot wait to get started as soon as possible.
