Muhlenberg’s Nadly Gyapong growing used to being out in front

Nadly Gyapong joined the track team her sophomore year at Muhlenberg just for fun.

Things got serious in a hurry.

She had never played sports in high school but was so naturally talented she to sprinted to the head of the field in the Berks sprints, winning a gold medal in the Firing Meet 200 as a junior.

“Nobody knew who I was,” she said.

They do now, especially after her stunning performance Saturday at the John H. Shaner Meet at Wyomissing. Gyapong made a clean sweep of the sprints, winning the 100, 200 and 400.

Reading High’s Xavier Beatty won the 100 and the long jump; Wyomissing’s Addie Cohen took home gold in the 1600 and 3200. No other athlete, girl or boy, won three Shaner gold medals in individual events.

“This is the first time this happened (for me),” said Gyapong, duly impressed with her feat.

She has owned the Berks Best in the 100 and 200 most of the season, but the 400? That’s been uncharted territory. She ran it just once before this season, in a dual meet against Daniel Boone. Never tried it in a major competition.

She owned it Saturday, circling the track in 1:00.48, just a couple ticks off the Berks Best set by Gov. Mifflin’s Sierra Hess last weekend. In a steady drizzle, with temperatures dipping into the low 50’s and on what’s considered a slow track, Gyapong turned in a strong time, besting Hess, the runner-up, by more than half a second.

“I’m very proud of myself,” Gyapong said.

She was even better in the shorter races.

She won the 100 in 12.20, matching her Berks Best and topping the winning time (12.26) in last year’s county championship meet. She missed the meet record (12.18) a hair. Her time ranks as fourth-best among District 3 Class 3A girls this season and is among the 10 best in the state in that classification.

She crushed her Berks Best time in the 200 (25.60) with a 25.42, just off her winning time at the Firing last year.

“There’s more there,” says Ben Castiglioni, Muhlenberg’s head coach, who thinks she can get under 25 seconds. “She’s only scratching the surface at this point.”

College coaches believe as much. They’ve been clamoring for her services. Ursinus came through with the best offer, which Gyapong accepted. She won’t pay a dime towards her Biology degree, Castiglioni said. Yep, she’s that good on the track, and in the classroom.

Her coach could see the talent when Gyapong first showed up at track practice. What impressed him more was her instant devotion to the sport: She ran in the summer and winter seasons and trained with the team throughout.

“She was dedicated,” he said.

Gyapong is busy off the track, too. She works in her mom’s hair salon and spends part of her school day as an intern at Todayz Kidz, working with children. She plans to become a Physicians’ Assistant and work in a pediatric unit.

First there are more medals to win. She’ll be favored to take a couple next week at the county championships. She’s in position to claim two, and maybe three, at the District 3 Meet the week after. What she wants most is a crack at the PIAA Championship Meet.

She stumbled once she got to districts last year; the stage was just too big for the newcomer. She’s been training all season with that in mind; she’s ready for the step up this time.

“She got really good, really fast, and she got a lot of attention,” Castiglioni said. “She was thrust into the big meets, running with some of the more talented girls. She wasn’t used to that. When we got to districts it was a bit overwhelming, and she didn’t perform how we wanted her to.”

“It was a lot of pressure,” Gyapong said of her quick rise to local prominence. “Track is not just physical, it’s a very mental sport. Last year I wasn’t very much there mentally when it came to how competitive the sport is. I didn’t do too well.

“I’m going to make sure I don’t make the same mistake when it comes to doubting myself and underperforming. The goal is to go to states and to prove to myself that I’m capable of going that far.”

Gyapong showed the strides she’s made in the mental part of the game. She wasn’t pushed a bit Saturday – she won the 200 by nearly 1.4 seconds – yet posted her best time. She didn’t let that or the elements get in the way of being at her best.

“My coach always says: ‘Strive for the best and don’t be discouraged by how you feel or the weather or that someone’s seeded higher than you,’ ” she said.

Gyapong raised her right hand slightly above her head.

“Always be up here,” she said.