BROOKE Willis has a passion for the arts.

She loves painting, drawing and sculpting.

She also loves a little bit of chocolate, just quietly.

But it’s not only a painting or drawing that the 15-year-old Xavier Catholic College student expresses herself in.

For the past 18 months, she has taken to competing in triathlons with a passion.

Just look at how well she has performed so far this year.

The Wide Bay representative won a silver medal during the Queensland Schools Championships in the Intermediate division in Redcliffe in February.

She backed up that impressive performance by finishing ninth in the National Schools Triathlon Championships in the Intermediate division in March.

Willis wasn’t finished yet though.

She finished third in the 15-19 years age group in the ITU Dextro Energy World Triathlon in Sydney last week.

An outstanding effort when you consider Willis was the youngest competitor in the field and it was the first time she had done an Olympic distance – a 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run.

But it’s not only in triathlons that Willis has produced plenty of impressive performances.

She placed ninth in the 300m in the Australian Track and Field Junior Championships.

It was running that started Willis on the road to trying her hand at triathlons and she has never looked back.

“You could say that what started out as a little bit of exercise (running) has taken me on an amazing journey,” she said.

“My career has really taken off and I am loving every minute of it.”

But competing at the top level comes at a cost. Willis trains 20 hours or more a week.

“I have no social life,” she laughed.

“Besides, I have my arts and my bit of chocolate every now and then.”