AUSTIN – Boerne High senior Kendall Lemm won gold at the 4A state meet in the high jump after she cleared 5-8 on her second attempt Thursday morning at Mike Myers Stadium.
This is the second state medal for Lemm, who also won silver during her sophomore season two years ago in the same event.
Lemm said she it was a roller coaster of emotions for her immediately afterwards.
“I don’t even know how to feel about it,” she said. “I’m super happy about it but not only for myself but for everyone who has been behind me.”
After winning gold, Lemm went for the state record at 5-11 on Thursday but missed on all three attempts. She only had one other miss at state and that came on her first try at 5-8.
Lemm entered at 5-2 and cleared on her first attempt. She also cleared 5-4 and 5-6 on her first jump.
There were seven girls jumping at 5-6 but the height was too much for five of them, leaving Lemm and Falyn Lott of Frisco Panther Creek to battle it out for gold.
The bar went up to 5-8 and Lemm and Lott both missed on their first attempts. Lemm cleared the height on her second try, while Lott missed her final two jumps to give Lemm gold.
Last year Lemm made it to state but went out on her opening height and said that was motivation for this season.
“I was super upset and disappointed last year, but I had to learn to be thankful for the good, bad, ugly and everything in between and use that as fuel,” she said. “I had so many supporters reminding me that it’s in the past and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
The track was a little wet after some sprinkles but that didn’t stop Lemm, who blocked out the slippery surface.
“I knew it would be wet but they dried it for us and kept watching it for us,” she said. “I kind of got distracted from it and wasn’t really thinking about it.”
Lemm said she’ll remember this day for the rest of her life. She’ll jump next year at Texas State University.
“It’s something I can never forget,” she said.
NOTES: Kendall Lemm is only the second female athlete at Boerne High to win a gold medal at the state track and field meet. The only other Greyhound girl athlete besides Lemm to win gold was Courtney Darter-Bruce
after Darter-Bruce won the 800 in 1998. Darter-Bruce
was there to watch Lemm
jump and Lemm said she appreciated her being there. Darter-Bruce went on to run at Texas State University, where Lemm
is going to jump next year. … Lemm was the only Boerne girl competing and her 10 points for first place helped the “team” finish 18th in the final standings.
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