Sports

Whitefield's Thornton Signs with Texas A&M

This South Cobb Patch Whiz Kid is bound to excel and break records at Texas A&M University.

Whitefield Academy's track superstar, senior Cameron Thornton, has signed with Texas A&M University, winner of three NCAA National Championships in men’s track and field.

Cameron, who graduates in May, placed 9th in the world while representing U.S.A. in IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France in July. He was also a featured South Cobb Patch Whiz Kid.

He certainly has a long list of athletic achievements to add to his resume this year. After a brilliant first-place victory (Division A) in the 2011 GHSA cross-country championship, Cameron made the 2011 Cobb County All-County Boys Cross-Country team, was selected as the 2011 Marietta Daily Journal Cross-Country Runner of the Year, and was named 2011 Marietta Daily Journal Male Athlete of the Year (for all high school divisions, from single A to AAAAA schools).

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Cameron was also invited by the Atlanta Track Club to its All-Metro Team and became a featured athlete in In the Game magazine, a publication highlighting exceptional high school athletes in the Atlanta area.

In addition, Cameron won first place in multiple cross-country events this past season, including the ASCIS Invitational and Battle of Atlanta competition. These accomplishments are all in addition to his track and field awards and honors, which include a state title for the 800-meter in 2010, a photo-finish second place spot for the 800 in the 2011 state championships, a state title for the 1600-meter in 2010 and 2011, and two state titles (2010, 2011) as the anchor for the 4x400 relay.

Find out what's happening in South Cobbwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A gifted basketball player, Cameron decided to give running a try after his seventh-grade season of basketball when assistant cross country coach, Paul Alar, saw Cameron run.

“We’d sometimes run during P.E. in Middle School and I remember I always finished first,” said Cameron, “but  I never really thought about running track or cross-country until Coach Alar mentioned it.”

After his sophomore season of basketball, Cameron gave up the game to focus solely on running.

“Cameron has that rare combination that makes athletes great,” said Alar. “He has natural talent, but he also has an amazing willingness to push himself, great endurance, amazing speed, and a high threshold for pain. All that combined makes Cameron an incredible runner.”

-Courtesy of Whitefield Academy


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