However, Blane believes his daughter's greatest meet was the New Balance Outdoor National Championships during June in Greensboro, N.C., where she swept both hurdles events (100 and 400) and defeated several older girls who had beaten her indoors.
Kendell Williams.
Photo by Sabrina Piper
"They had international experience," he said of some of the top girls that Kendell had beaten. "They were heavy hitters. Some drove themselves to the meet (she wasn't old enough to drive)."
During the AAU Junior Olympic Championships in Norfolk, Va., she won three gold medals and set a world record (58.63) in the 400 hurdles. She also set a national freshman heptathlon record with 4,914 points. That clinched her second Joel Ferrell Award as the AAU Athlete of the Year.
Despite her youth, Kendell has amassed so many medals and trophies that the family can't house all of them anymore.
"We stopped bringing trophies home," Blane said. "We give them to our club (The Heat Track Club in Marietta where he now serves as president) or to the coaches. Her trophies and medals are totally ridiculous. I put a nail on the mantel and hang medals on it until it can't hold them."
More records appear in the offing since she is just a sophomore and because she knows she can improve her technique.
"I should be lower, but I kind of jump a little too high," she confessed. "I'm working on getting lower over them (just skimming the tops), because it will make my times a lot faster."
Dunning definitely expects his protégé to get faster and predicts a very bright future. He points out, "Considering so much more physical maturity, she has unlimited potential in both events (100 and 400). She could run in the 12s (in the 100) before she graduates from high school. Every time she wins something, she calls and thanks me. I keep telling her to stop doing that."
She studies videos of Lolo Jones, who won the 100 hurdles at the 2008 Olympics, and Dawn Harper. She has met Jones and had their picture taken together at an LSU indoor meet.
Kendell, who carries a 3.8 GPA, already has letters from 50 colleges, but says she has no favorite at this time.
Her school activities include serving as manager for the boys basketball team and being a part of Kell's Angels, who do community services such as helping to feed the homeless and visiting children at an orphanage.
Blane says he is most pleased with his daughter's "progression. When she first started, she looked real awkward and gangly. The biggest key is the consistency. She has managed the emotion and the stress. I see her this summer trying to make the World Youth Team. She qualified last year, but she was too young. I just want her to continue progressing. She wants a post-collegiate career (Olympics and professional). Track is a journey and not judged by one race or season."
The journey is long, but she is out of the blocks and off to a magnificent start.
