How many of you can say that you won gold at the nation’s largest track and field series when you were only in third grade? If I guessed correctly, probably not too many. However, Hewitt third grader Jordyn Ford accomplished this amazing feat on January 29th at the 37th Annual Colgate Women’s Games.
This year, 11,000 girls and young women participated in more than four qualifying meets. Then, the girls with the best results made it to the semifinals at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn. After that, only 217 athletes, one of them being Jordyn, got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to compete at Madison Square Garden.
Last week I got to sit down with Jordyn in Ms. Beydoun’s office to talk about her amazing accomplishment.
Q. Jordyn can you tell us a little bit about the event you competed in?
I competed in the 55 meter hurdles. The 55 part is how long it is. There’s five hurdles. It feels really short. It’s like sprint and jump over, sprint and jump over, sprint and jump over.
Q. Is this your first year competing at the Colgate Women’s Games?
No, I competed last year, but I wasn’t as good. I made it to semi-finals, but I got scared and cried a lot and didn’t compete, so it affected my points. This is the first year that I’ve been confident because I know what I’m doing.
Q. How long have you been training for?
Almost a year. At first, this lady came up to me and my parents, and she told me I should participate and that I would win a medal, so I did it because I wanted a medal. I practiced a lot in my house with my dad who’s my hurdles coach.
Q. How did it feel to compete at Madison Square Garden?
It felt so amazing. I was so excited to be in the athletes’ parade of Madison Square Garden, oh my gosh. There was even one famous person, Precious’s mom (from the movie Precious).
Q. Were a lot of people there?
Yes, there were a whole lot of people in the audience.
Q. Do you have any plans to join the Hewitt track and field team in the 6th grade?
I’m still thinking about it.
Q. Is this something you’re very passionate about?
Yes, I’m really passionate about it. I think I can make it really far, but I don’t want to do it when I’m older. I want to be an obstetrician.
Q: On behalf of the Hewitt School I would like to congratulate Jordyn on her win and to wish her good luck at next year’s Colgate Women’s Games.
Click here to watch an NY1 News Report on the 37th Annual Colgate Women’s Games.