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Lani Helton, cross country and track athlete at Morristown West, will get to continue her cross country career close to home.

Lani, the daughter of Coby and Desiree Helton of Talbott, committed to Walters State Community College in a ceremony Friday afternoon.

Walters State Head Cross Country Coach Raymond Farmer got to know Lani over the last four years as the Morristown West Track Coach. Farmer was named cross country coach at WSCC and is well familiar with Lani’s athleticism.

“She has done well in track for us the last four years,” Farmer said. “I’ve been watching her in cross country. I knew that as coach at Walters State, we’d love having her come run for us. We went about recruiting her to get her there. She has a lot of potential and we’re looking to see what we can get out of her.

“I’ll get to work with her a few more years,” Farmer said. “There’s some separation (between track and cross country) there.”

Lani likes the environment at WSCC and she will be close to home.

“I really admire Coach Farmer and Coach Haas,” Lani said. 

Lani has been running cross country since seventh grade at West View Middle School.

Lani said that she plans to major in political science at WSCC, before transferring to the University of Tennessee or an out-of-state school to continue pursuing political science. Her long-term goal is to work her way through legislation.

She ran for Coach Sarah Bowen at Morristown West.