In January, Chase Cord started competing in the high jump and shot put. By summer, he was winning national championships.

Cord, 10, of the Northwest Xpress, won gold medals in the boys bantam (10u) shot put, high jump and the triathlon at USA Youth Track & Field Championships at Ypsilanti, Mich. over the Independence Day weekend.

“What Chase did is something you don’t do,” Northwest Xpress coach Kirk Wilson said.  “You don’t go to Nationals and win three gold medals.

“He’s multi-talented.”

Cord’s success at nationals marks the end of just his second year competing in track and field.

Wilson, who has been coaching since 1994, was in need of another bantam boy to compete in a relay. When the mother of a Northwest Xpress athlete heard, she recommended Cord. She knew that he was a naturally gifted athlete and contacted him to join the team.

“The rest is just history,” Wilson said.

In his first year competing for the team, Cord displayed moments of brilliance but lacked consistency.

“I kind of knew last year,” Wilson said.  “I could just tell he was going to be a good one but wasn’t all mentally there yet.”

But with the beginning of this season, Cord became accustomed to the stress and pressure of competing at meets and became a constant force to be reckoned with in a multitude of events. Cord, who is also a football and basketball player, routinely competes in the 100 meter, the 200 meter, the 400 meter, the 4x100 meter relay, the 4x400 relay, the shot put and the high jump.

Cord and his team practice every day from Monday through Thursday from January to June for about 75-90 minutes.

“He works hard and comes to practice every day,” Wilson said.

But Cord is not alone.  From the get-go, he has had the support of his parents.

“He has great parents,” Wilson said.  “Parents don’t miss a practice and don’t miss a meet.”

Even with his success, Cord remains humble about his accomplishments and continues to try and improve.

“He’s a very very modest kid,” Wilson said.  “He does whatever you ask and never complains.  He just puts on his hard hat and goes to work.”

Next year, Cord will move up to the midget age class for 11 and 12-year-old boys and try and continue his success.

“Chase is one of those kids who excels in whatever he does,” Wilson said.  “I think he’ll try even harder next year.”