Fast forward: CSAS's Lennex Walker second in A/AA pentathlon

Lennex Walker is simply too young to realize how difficult her accomplishment really is.

Just two weeks after deciding to train for the pentathlon, the Arts & Sciences sophomore used sheer athletic ability and determination to finish second in the grueling five-event competition at Monday's state meet at Middle Tennessee State University.

After returning home more than 12 hours after her day began, Walker said she was ready to go back and compete in four individual events Thursday.

"It has been a long, grueling day and I'm tired, but I'll be ready to go for sure by Thursday," said Walker, who finished third in both the 100 and 200 meters as a freshman last spring and has qualified to compete in the triple jump, long jump, 100-meter hurdles and 300 hurdles later this week. "I feel great, actually. I'm kind of surprised I'm not as tired as I thought I would be."

Grenetria Shell of East Nashville finished with 3,242 total points to Walker's 3,030 in the Class A/AA competition. Brainerd junior Jamee' Ward, a basketball star competing in varsity track for the first time, finished third with 2,851 points, and Signal Mountain's Aryn Sanders was sixth.

Walker won the first event of the day, the 100-meter dash, and followed that with a second-place finish in the shot put and third in the high jump. Going into the day's final event -- the 800-meter run -- the 15-year-old was nipping at Shell's heels. As Shell finished second, Walker, a natural sprinter and jumper, struggled in the distance race, finishing ninth and settling for a silver medal in the week's first state championship event.

"I'm extremely proud of myself just for getting out there and toughing it out and doing it," said Walker, who was able to compete despite a sprained arch that had her questioning two days earlier whether she would be physically able. "I was really thinking about not going up there because of the injury, but once I got there we taped it up and I was ready.

"It's not easy going out and competing in those events back-to-back, but we're out of school now so I'll rest at home and by Thursday I know I can run off adrenaline. I've been there before and now I want a state championship in one of those events."

Baylor senior Selena Popp, who was competing in the state meet for the fifth year, finished fourth in the Division II pentathlon, taking third in both the high jump and shot put events.

"She's had a tremendous career and she's still got a few more events left before she's done," Baylor coach Bill McMahan said of Popp. "She was up against some really talented competition, but she did her best and we're proud of how she finished."

After the first five events of the boys' decathlon, Rhea County junior Chase Sholl leads the Class AAA field with 3,035 points, 60 points ahead of second place. Sholl won the 100- and 400-meter races and was third in the pole vault, sixth in the triple jump and eighth in the discus. The final five events are set for today.

Both Walker and Popp will compete in four events -- the maximum allowed by the TSSAA -- in Thursday's girls' state meet, and Sholl will do the same in the boys' meet Friday. He's set for the 200 meters, 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles and will anchor the state-qualifying 4x100 relay.

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.