Meet the three standout middle school hurdlers from Westerville who wrapped up their track seasons with impressive performances and places on the podium at the 2025 7th & 8th Grade State Track Meet.
John Kuffour – Blendon Middle School
Linda Kuffour
Kuffour and his mom.
After encouragement from friends to join Blendon Middle School’s track team, John Kuffour’s athletic success is still a shock to the incoming high-schooler.
Kuffour started his first season racing the 100-meter dash but grew interested in hurdling after watching friends at practice. After trying the event, he was hooked. By watching film with his coaches and staying late at practices, he quickly improved.
“I came into the season just wanting to finish it and just have fun,” says Kuffour. “I didn't think I was going to go to (states) at all. That was shocking.”
That outlook inspires his teammates as well, says Coach Rich Fechter, the boys head track and field coach at Blendon, but it’s Kuffour’s dedication that earned him a spot on the state podium.
“He (always) wants to go harder, he always says ‘Let me do a couple more,’” says Fechter. “(When) it's time to go home, ‘Okay, let me do a couple more.’ His work ethic is as good as anyone I've ever coached.”
Seeded 19th in the 100-meter hurdles, Kuffour ran a time of 16.1 seconds – blowing that projection away, and ending the championship meet in seventh place.
Addie Wilkins – Blendon Middle School
Adam Wilkins
Wilkins
Though Addie Wilkins already excelled in competitive gymnastics and cheerleading, she decided to try something new in seventh grade by joining the track team. Her first season ended with a ninth-place state finish in the 200-meter hurdles and school records in both the 100-meter dash and 200-meter hurdles.
Wilkins juggled her newfound love of running alongside competitive gymnastics, all while keeping her grades up.
“I would go to track right after school, and then come home and study for a little bit… and then I would go to gymnastics,” says Wilkins. “If I had anything in the morning, I would just wake up earlier. I think I had a pretty good schedule.”
Despite late evenings at gymnastic meets and rigorous workouts on the track, practice remained the highlight of her day.
“I barely had any days I didn't want to go to track, it just lifted up my whole personality,” says Wilkins. “It was so fun.”
Seeded 18th after qualifying for state, Wilkins ran the 200-meter hurdles in 30.34 seconds and placed ninth. Now, she’s aiming higher.
“For me, it wasn’t about beating other people,” says Wilkins. “It was about beating myself and my own goals.”
Madison Ivery – Walnut Springs Middle School
Heather Ivery
Ivery and her dad.
Madison Ivery, a Walnut Springs Middle School student, started running on the Delaware
Cheetah’s track club at age 6, encouraged by her dad. At 11, she joined the Plus 2 University Track Club and began hurdling.
“(My dad) would always bring (hurdles) up, just kind of as a joke,” says Ivery. “But then I started watching people actually do hurdles, and I just felt like I had to do it.”
Excited to run for Walnut Springs in seventh grade, Ivery missed about two months of the spring season due to injury and was unsure she’d be able to compete. Despite this, she remained persistent.
Ivery bounced back with a strong finish, placing fourth in 100-meter hurdles and 12th in the 200-meter hurdles at state.
Those wins followed an undefeated regular season and a fourth-place finish in 100-meter hurdles at the New Balance Nationals in Philadelphia.
Ivery also holds the Walnut Springs school records for the 400-meter dash, 100- and 200-meter hurdles and the 1600-meter relay.
“The things kids learn from sports are so much bigger than (awards),” says Skip Ivery, Madison’s father and WSMS’ head girls track and field coach. “(They learn) how to balance multiple priorities like school, track, basketball, friends, chores… and (how to) do it well.”
Disha Hoque is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
