Kids & Family

Walton's Farmer Wins Scholarship Award from Atlanta Track Club

Atlanta Track Club hosts 50th All-Metro High School Track & Field Awards Banquet.

Patch Staff Report

Atlanta Track Club has actively supported high school cross country and track & field through the All-Metro Awards Banquets, since the organization was established in 1964. This year, more than 300 people attended the 50th All-Metro High School Track & Field Awards Banquet at The Westminster School in Buckhead.

The banquet honors Georgia high school athletes who compete consistently throughout the season in track events ranging from 100 meters to 3200 meters and all field events. Those honored as All-Metro athletes were chosen through a strict selection process. The banquet also recognized local All-Metro coaches for their success throughout this year’s Track & Field season.

Other significant achievement awards included inductees to the Georgia High School Track & Field and Cross-Country Hall of Fame. One prominent inductee included Dwight Phillips, who competed for Tucker High School. Phillips was a four-time World Champion in the Long Jump and the 2004 Olympic Champion.

“Organizing the All-Metro High School Banquet is one of our longest standing traditions,” Rich Kenah, Atlanta Track Club’s executive director, said in a release. “By honoring both high school and professional excellence at the same event, we hope to inspire Atlanta’s youth to stay active and compete even beyond their high school years.”

As Atlanta Track Club celebrates its 50th Anniversary, the organization is also looking forward to motivating runners for many years to come. In an effort to forge ties to the community that will inspire the next generation of runners, select U.S. Olympic and World Championships athletes have been invited to speak and engage with participants and athletes at Atlanta Track Club events throughout the year.

This year’s banquet attendees had the privilege of listening to guest speaker and Olympic Gold Medalist in the shotput, Adam Nelson. A standout letterman in both football and track and field at The Lovett School in Atlanta, Nelson was a graduate of the class of 1993. He went on to compete in three consecutive Olympic Games in 2000, 2004 and 2008. In addition to his gold medal at the 2004 Olympics, Nelson also won a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics.

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In addition to awards, two $2,500 scholarships were presented by Atlanta Track Club and The Atlanta Track Club Foundation to local track & field athletes. The 5th Annual Patty Foell Scholarship Award was presented to outstanding female athlete, Alex Cameron, of Dunwoody High School. The 1st Annual Hawthorne Wesley Scholarship Award was presented to outstanding male athlete, Kenan Farmer, of Walton High School.


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