The Year 12 student from Bankstown Girls High School was only competing as a fill-in on the Australian team which needed to make up numbers in order to compete, so to actually win a silver was a huge achievement, according to Relieving Principal Lisa Edwards.
“We are incredibly proud of Layla and wish her luck achieving her 2nd Dan black belt later this year,” she said.
Practising karate for 10 years through Miyagi Kan Karate Dojo at Revesby, Layla said the medal win was particularly sweet since she only came second to a long-established national champion.
“It felt very good to win my first medal representing Australia,” she said.
“It was lucky that this year’s Oceania Championships were in Liverpool and handy to get to unlike last year when they were held in New Caledonia.”
A strong student academically too, Layla gave up swimming and basketball to pursue her dream.
“I’m hoping to go all the way and keep representing Australia; I may become a teacher after that,” she said.
