Week One Of 50th Colgate Women’s Games Takes Place At The Armory

Photos: Colgate Women’s Games On Sunday, December 28, track & field athletes kicked off the historic 50th season of Colgate Women’s Games (CWG), the nation’s longest-running indoor track & field series for girls and women, celebrating the series’ half-century commitment to athleticism and education for girls and women. National Record Holder Talya Lorde of Brooklyn (#1742) and friends at Colgate Women’s Games on Sunday, December 28 The free competition is sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all. Sunday’s event was the first of four meets being held at the state-of-the-art Nike Track and Field Center at the Armory in Manhattan. The series will continue with a second preliminary meet on January 4, a competitive semi-final event on January 18 and the Finals on February 4, where a select group of runners, hurdles, high jumpers and shot putters will vie for more than 100 educational scholarships thanks to Colgate-Palmolive. World-class athletes Sha’Carri Richardson, Ajeé Wilson, Natasha Hastings and Dalilah Muhammad will be onsite at the Finals. Legendary track coach Fred Thompson and Colgate-Palmolive established Colgate Women’s Games in 1974 to provide athletic and educational opportunities for girls and women. CWG’s commitment to education is reflected in the series’ longevity and increases in the quantity and amount of the scholarships. There are also elevated levels of athletic competition. Today, New York City participants are joined by competitors from suburban, regional and out-of-state schools and track clubs, raising the quality of the Games’ athleticism. Athletic director Joshua Kirchen of Bronx United girls indoor track team — a 10-year-old conglomeration of three small South Bronx public  schools — said his girls performed well. However, the inclusion of out-of-state schools and track clubs provides a challenge for his athletes, who compete mostly among New York City public school athletes. “It’s [CWG] more competitive just based on the caliber of athletes,” he said. Ten-year-old Malia Nicholls from Brooklyn’s Uncommon Kings Middle School was prepared for the challenges of CWG in her Elementary B division 200-meter dash heat, but she lost one of her running shoes halfway through the quick, one-lap race. With one shoe, she managed to finish the heat.  “My mom and dad both run, and they told me ‘Don’t ever worry about the little things. Stay focused on improving your time.’ So that’s what I did,” the fifth-grader, who runs for the Jeuness Track Club, said. Malia Nicholls finishes with one sneaker College/Open division runner Shayla Broughton is a CWG veteran who recently graduated from Mississippi State University, and attended the college with scholarship money won at CWG . Broughton, who ran the 55-meter dash on Dec. 28, is now a physical education teacher at a charter school in Brooklyn. Eight-year-old Talya Lorde of Brooklyn, who holds an age group record in the 800-meter run, ran the 800- and 400-meter races on Dec. 28.  She’s been racing for 3 years, and credits her mother with getting her involved in track.   Colgate Women’s Games veteran Shayla Broughton “My mom saw a race on TV and she said ‘I wonder if you’d be good at this. You’re so athletic, maybe you should try out.’ Then, I tried out for a team and got in right away,” she said. “I like that I’m able to win scholarships.” You can stream all Colgate Women’s Games’ Season 50 meets here. For more information about Colgate Women’s Games, visit www.colgatewomensgames.com.