She had a great leadership ability and the kids immediately looked up to her. She’s just an awesome all-around person who works hard, does what’s asked of her and wants to improve all the time.”

Jordan girls track and field coach Kymberlee Trnka on sophomore Tiyan Ogbeide

Jordan sophomore Tiyan Ogbeide is seeded seventh out of nine athletes competing in the 800-meter run at the UIL Class 5A track and field meet this Friday, May 7, at Mike A. Myers Stadium at the University of Texas at Austin.

That’s OK, Jordan girls track and field coach Kymberlee Trnka said. That’s when Ogbeide is at her best.

“She loves to hunt someone and likes being behind and catching up,” Trnka said. “It’s like a challenge, and she loves challenging herself. She has an awesome (finishing) kick. If she can just stay close, she has a good shot.”

Ogbeide is the first track and field state qualifier at Jordan after placing second in the 800 at the Region III-5A meet two weeks ago. Ogbeide, who also competed in the 400-meter dash and 4x400 relay this season, has a seed time of 2:14.72.

“I’m very happy I get this opportunity,” Ogbeide said. “Many people have underestimated this school, but I’m happy to get the chance to represent this school. I came from Tompkins, which was a really big school. Then I came here, and there’s not nearly as many people, but it allowed me to work closer with everyone. I like being closer with my teammates and being able to work more one-on-one with my coaches.”

Trnka wanted to establish a standard of success in the program’s inaugural year of competition. Ogbeide, who won the 400-meter dash and 800-meter run at the district and area meets, has helped accomplish that, so much so that Trnka plans to have Ogbeide speak to athletes at Jordan feeder schools Adams and Seven Lakes junior highs to recruit them to the program.

“This is our first year, we want to win, and we want to make a statement,” Trnka said. “I think we’ve done that. Our JV team finished second overall in district. Varsity finished third overall, with just seven girls competing. In area, we were fourth and qualified to regionals. And it’s awesome for the younger kids to see Tiyan and the success she’s had.”

Ogbeide started running in the seventh grade. People had always complimented on how fast she was. When she got to junior high, her peers started saying the same.

“Many of my friends said I was good at it, and I was like, ‘Oh, wow. Maybe I’m good at something!’” Ogbeide said, laughing. “Other sports, I wasn’t very good at. But I found something I was good at, and I liked that.”

Trnka said she knew right away that Ogbeide was a special talent.

“She had a great leadership ability and the kids immediately looked up to her,” Trnka said. “She’s just an awesome all-around person who works hard, does what’s asked of her and wants to improve all the time.”

Ogbeide’s time of 2:14.72 in the 800 at the regional meet was a personal record. She went in with the approach to not focus on a particular time or place, but to just fight and run her best.

It worked.

“I was really happy to come out with a PR,” Ogbeide said. “I’m a little bit less nervous going into state knowing I did well at a meet like regionals.”

Relaxed, confident and having fun have become Ogbeide’s ingredients to success. Trnka and Ogbeide are aiming for a sub-2:10 mark at state. They feel it can be done if she can get off to a faster, stronger start, which they have been working tirelessly on during practices leading up to state.

“She’s really starting to believe in herself and her abilities,” Trnka said. “Even though she’s just a sophomore, she knows she can compete with those juniors and seniors and beat them. She’s proved that this year.”