Bobby Hill is one of Sumter County’s top athletes. He has proven that time after time as he earned his way to compete on the national stage. Bobby Hill is coming off a fantastic FHSAA Weightlifting season which saw him win the 169-pound Olympic State Championship for South Sumter High alongside teammate Cody Zilcosky, who also won a State Championship in the 139-pound Olympic classification.

(Bobby Hill competes at the USA Weightlifting Nationals. He came in fresh off an Olympic FHSAA State Championship victory in May.)

Bobby Hill qualified for the USA Weightlifting National Championships held in Pennsylvania, and he did not disappoint. Bobby competed in the 73kg category. Hill was able to claim 2nd place in his weight class with some impressive lifts:

Clean + Jerk

• 1st Lift – 135kg/297lbs
• 2nd Lift – 138kg/304lbs
• 3rd Lift – 144kg/317lbs

Snatch

• 1st Lift – 105kg/231lbs
• 2nd Lift – 110kg/242lbs
• 3rd Lift – 115kg/254lbs

(Bobby Hill would wind up finishing 2nd overall in his weight class.)

These lifts were good enough for 2nd place overall in his class. This is a huge accomplishment for this Sumter County athlete. He represented our community with great pride on a national level. Coached by Chris Gauntlett, Hill has excelled in the past few years at South Sumter High. He is one of the best lifters in all of Central Florida. Coach Gauntlett has taken the weightlifting program to new heights. South Sumter is consistently in the picture for district championships and state championships. The program is only getting stronger as the years progress.

(Bobby Hill will once again be the man to beat when the 2025 FHSAA Weightlifting season comes around.)

But this is nothing new for South Sumter High. They are used to success. As the motto suggests, “Tradition Never Graduates.” We are so proud of Bobby Hill and his accomplishments. We also want to give a shout out to Leesburg High female competitor Kaitlynn Brady, who finished 3rd in her national competition as well. Awesome job!