Lonnie O’Neal Lenoir loves to run. The 10-year-old Brookhavenresident ran away with the state championship in the Hershey’sState Track Meet last weekend in Gulfport, qualifying him fornational competition.

Best of all, Lenoir won an all-expenses paid trip to Hershey,Pa., location of the 29th annual Hershey’s track meet, Aug. 5-7. Hewill compete in the 400-meter dash where he posted a time of 1minute, 15 seconds.

Also at Gulfport, Lenoir placed second in the 200-meter dash in32.81 and second in the standing long jump with a leap of 5-10. Heis the son of Mia Perry and Lonnie Lenoir Jr.

“My dad is my sports hero,” answered Lenoir. His father rantrack and played basketball at Brookhaven High School, graduatingin 1986.

Lenoir will be a fifth grade student at Brookhaven ElementarySchool this fall.

“I’m excited about going to Pennsylvania,” said Lenoir.

His parents are proud of his son’s accomplishments. Lenoircompeted in the qualifying meet on Ole Brook’s King Field.

“When school got out, Lonnie asked me if he could run in themeet,” said Perry. “He’s always been very active.”

Perry’s older sister, Chana Perry, is a former high schoolAll-American basketball player who graduated from BHS in 1984. Shehas four children and lives in North Carolina, giving birth totwins in December.