The second time around proved golden for Richmond Hill High School junior Shaquille Walker, who won the state title in the 800 at Saturday's Class AAA meet.
Walker finished with a time of 1 minute and 51.713 seconds, the fastest time in the event at the meet regardless of classification and one of the top times in the nation.
He bested Dunwoody's Kuaniyal Chol, the 2009 state title winner. Last year, Walker placed second in the event after getting tangled up with another runner -- which enabled Choi, then in third, to take the win.
"It was unfortunate last year," said coach Levi Sybert. "He was on his way to winning the title."
Walker refused to lose this year.
"His performance was very tactical. He has a big heart and knew exactly what he had to do," Sybert said. "He held (Choi) off the entire race. He led from start to finish. He ran the race he was supposed to run ... everything he's earned, Shaquille has had to work for it. It's good to see everything pay off for him the way it did."
Walker's first place finish helped propel the Wildcats into a tie for 10th place at the meet in Jefferson, but he wasn't the only RHHS runner to take the podium.
Senior Albert R eddick placed seventh in the 300 intermediate hurdles with a time of 39.968 seconds, and senior distance runner Russell Lawless turned in a pair of seventh place finishes.
Lawless ran the 1,600 in 4 minutes, 29.863 seconds and finished the 3,200 in 10 minutes, 1.277 seconds. It was his first year at RHHS, while Reddick was making a return trip to the state meet.
"Albert put the work in and was super dedicated to the sport," Sybert said. "He earned his trip to state and to not only make it, but to finish seventh is quite an accomplishment."
Lawless, a soccer player, "has got just as competitive as Shaquille," Sybert said. "If I had him for one  more year he'd be a state champion."
In the girl's Class AAA meet held May 7-8  in Albany, Lady Wildcat Amber Kasinger placed 8th in the high jump, clearing 4 feet, 10 inches.