As a freshman, Lauryn “Lolo” Ford already has made her mark on the Kentridge High School track and field program, setting several records. But the 14-year-old has her sights set on a bigger stage – the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Ford has plastered her bedroom walls with reminders of her goal.
“I can never give up and stop pushing or training, and I will do that,” she said. “I will make it to 2020.”
The sprinter and long jumper is well on her way to achieving her goal. She is ranked first in the state and second in the U.S. in the girls 200-meter with a personal-best time of 23.88 seconds, according to Athletic.net.
Her time in the 200, as well as the her time of 12.36 seconds in the 100, broke Kentridge girls track records that have stood since the 1980s. In the long jump, Ford reached a personal best of 18 feet, 4½ inches, placing her second in school history. She has set school freshman records in all three events.
Ford’s success has surprised her.
“I thought maybe (top in) league, but state, that’s just crazy,” she said. “It’s something I never thought about really.”
Ford hopes to qualify for and win at the Class 4A state meet this year at Mount Tahoma in Tacoma. The state meet record for the 200 is 24.13 seconds, set by Clover Park’s Donna Dennis in 1982. The record in the 100 is 11.61 seconds, set by Danielle Marshall of Lake Washington.
Ford also wants to compete for a NCAA Division 1 college or university.
The sprinter got her start in track and field in elementary school, but didn’t realize her talent until she joined Northwood Middle School’s track team in seventh grade.
“I ended up winning every single event I was put into, and that is when I knew I should probably start taking track seriously,” she said.
Through her friends, Ford connected with coach James Laurence of Legerity Sports Performance, who got Ford into USA Track and Field (USATF). Ford trains and competes year-round with Seatown Express, a Seattle-based elite track and field program.
With Seatown Express, Ford has traveled to competitions throughout the country, including New York, Florida and Texas.
Ford said her family supports her track career “110 percent.”
“My mom is usually the one always with me – practice, training, meets,” Ford said. “She has always told me I can do whatever I set my mind to. This past season, I have broken all my records. She (Ford’s mother) just told me, ‘I knew you could do it the whole time. I knew you were going to pull it out.’ My dad, brother and sister have told me I can do whatever I think.'”
Ford’s older sister, LaDrea, is a Kentridge senior who competes in shot put, discus and javelin.
Ford said she appreciates the support of her Kentridge teammates and coaches.
“I think KR has really helped me focusing on my training,” she said.
Kentridge coach Jami Weinbrecht said Ford is a welcome addition to the school’s track program.
“We are just happy to have the kind of person that she is on our team, that the girls are going to look up to,” she said. “I think all the girls just step it up a notch because they see what she can do and how hard she works.”
Weinbrecht said Ford is “extremely coachable” and open to suggestions to improve.
“A lot of times you don’t have people who are as talented as she who work as hard,” Weinbrecht said. “They say, ‘Well I’m good so I don’t have to work that hard.’ But she works hard every day.”
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
