Whiz Kid: Cameron Thornton, The Flash

Cameron Thornton, a senior at Whitefield Academy, is breaking records and going places in his usual fashion, fast.

He finished the 800 meter semi-final race (heat two) in 1:49:64 at the recent IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France in July. He placed third in his heat and his time was 9th in the world–yes, in the world– in the semi-finals. However, Cameron did not advance to the finals since the two winners of three heats and the two fastest runners were the only ones to advance.

He was chosen for the team after an excellent 800-meter race at the World Youth Track and Field trials in Myrtle Beach.

The sprinter was one of two people to ever eclipse the 1-minute, 50-second mark in the 800 meters in the 40-year history of the Georgia Olympics. Until this past May, no one ever had.

 However, the record-breaking run only garnered Cameron a second place finish in the Class A final in Jefferson as he was nipped by the narrowest of margins by Holy Innocents’ senior O’Neal Wanliss.

Officials needed to look at photos of the finish to determine that O'Neal edged Thornton by five-thousandths of a second. Wanliss officially finished in a time of 1:49.618 while Cameron was clocked at 1:49.623.

For the second consecutive year in the state track meet, Cameron also won the state title in the 1600. He set a new personal record and new Whitefield school record time of 4:18.91, 3.5 seconds off his previous personal record. He also won a state title for the 4x400m relay, with the help of his fellow track members: Murphy Alexander, Khalen Pinkett, and RJ Willis.

The accomplishments for this super-runner continues.

Cameron won first place in 2010-11 Division A at the GHSA State Cross Country meet, finishing the race with a time of 16:02. With 600 meters left in the race Cameron was in third place, but took the lead with 300 meters left.

In addition to these accomplishments, Cameron was named to the 2010 Atlanta Track Club All-Metro High School Team. There's no surprise why Cameron was also named the Marietta Daily Journal's Cobb County Male Athlete of the Year and Cobb County Cross Country Runner of the Year for earning the state championship.  He was also was named top athlete for all high school divisions, from single A to AAAAA schools.

Congrats, Cameron. South Cobb Patch salutes you!

If you want to nominate a Whiz Kid, send his or her information to Kiri.Walton@patch.com.

-Patch editor Hunt Archbold contributed to this tory.