Richard Hillary Prize Winners for 2022 Announced

Students Alexander Schweich and Nicholas Valenzia have shared first prize in this year's Richard Hillary Prize for creative writing, for the short story The Whispering Stone and the poem The View from the Morning and.

The annual competition was established in memory of the late Richard Hillary, former member of Trinity College and author of The Last Enemy, which was a bestseller after the Second World War.

The Hillary Prize, worth £500, is awarded for the best piece of creative writing by a Trinity student. This year's competition was judged by Elleke Boehmer, Professor of World Literature in English, Wolfson College, Dr Kantik Ghosh and Dr Stefano-Maria Evangelista, Fellows in English at Trinity College.

On winning the prize, Nicholas Valenzia says: ‘I haven’t showed my writing to that many people before, so to get any recognition for it is some feeling. I’m so surprised, honoured and inspired to have won, especially having read some of the other incredible entries. Thank you so much to the judges, to everyone who proofread for me, and to the city that inspired it.’ 

Alexander Schweich says: ‘I am thrilled and honoured for my story to have been selected for this prize, and I look forward to sharing it with you all.’

Read the stories

The Whispering Stone, Alexander Schweich

The View from the Morning, Nicholas Valenzia