Since battling her way back from cancer last summer, Patrick Henry senior Lizzie Powell has been nothing short of amazing.

  As has been well-documented in the local media, following Powell’s record-setting performance in last year’s VHSL outdoor championships, she was diagnosed with Hodgkins’ lymphoma. The date was June 3, 2009; her 17th birthday.

  Powell underwent chemotherapy, radiation and recuperation throughout the fall, returning to compete in gymnastics by mid-December.

  By March of 2010, Powell was amazingly back on her record-breaking pace, setting a new state indoor mark with a personal best vault of 12-7.

  This past weekend, Powell was searching to not only break the outdoor mark she set last season, but possibly go a foot beyond.; A goal that would seem impossible for someone diagnosed with cancer less than a year earlier. That is if it was anyone but Powell.

  Passing the 11—06.00 mark, Powell left every other competitor in her wake. She had repeated as a state champion but she wanted much more. Her former record mark was 12-00.00 but Powell was hoping to clear 13-06.00; a height that would have netted her a sixth place finish in the boys’ state competition and .25 inches higher than the record mark at Virginia Tech, where she will attend school in the fall.

  It seemed that everyone at Sports Backers Stadium was aware of Powell’s history and all eyes turned to the vault area as Powell raced for a record 12-06.00.

  Cheers erupted as Powell easily cleared the mark, but she took no time to celebrate, quickly dropping back into her pre-vault routine.

  Attempting to push the mark to a round 13-00.00, Powell’s ankles grazed the bar on her first try. On her second attempt she did not get enough height. On her third and final attempt it was Powell’s hips that brushed the bar just enough to knock it loose.

  How bad did Powell want 13-00.00?

  “Really bad,” she said but in typical Powell fashion she bounced back from the missed mark with a smile. “I set my goal for 13-6 and I’m a little disappointed I didn’t reach my own goal, but I broke my state record I set last year at 12-6 so I’m happy. I can’t complain.”

  And it would seem of anyone, Powell had right to complain having faced and overcome the ultimate battle at age 17.

  Because of her amazing return to record-breaking form, Powell largely become known not as the girl who broke state records, but he girl who beat cancer then broke state records.

  However, she does not mind that her life and accomplishments have now been defined by the disease she overcame. “It doesn’t bother me at all,” she said. “It’s always going to be a part of me so I don’t mind.”

  Her history of cancer is now so far in her past that sometimes that particular battle slips from her mind. “Sometime I even forget I had it,” she said. “It doesn’t really get old. It put in perspective how I can achieve things and set goals for myself. And with that challenge in my life you can overcome everything. That’s what I try to get people. You put your mind to something and you can overcome anything.

  “It’s amazing. I’m just at a loss for words,” Powell said. “I never thought I’d be here again. It’s just great to be back.”

  And to the world of athletics, it is also great that Powell is back.

  Other top local All-State performers:

GIRLS: Atlee junior Cameron Overstreet tied for second in the girls’ pole vault, clearing 11-06.00. Patrick Henry senior Sydney Hobart took fifth at 11-00.00.

  In the girls’ discus, Hanover sophomore Madison Pachner claimed fifth place with a throw of 111-00.

  In the girls’ 100 hurdles, Lee-Davis’ Montasia Golden finished third with a time of 14.60.

  Patrick Henry sophomore Shyra Molton took sixth in the 100 meter dash with a time of 12.41.

BOYS: Patrick Henry junior Tony Green took fourth in the boys 110 hurdles with a time of 14.75.

  Atlee’s Marques Atkinson took sixth in the 300 hurdles with a time of 39.42.

  In the boys’ pole vault, Atlee junior Chris Pillow claimed third, clearing 15-00.00.

  Atlee’s Michael Atkinson, Wes Steenburgh, Shaowei Tu and Marques Atkinson took seventh in the 4x800 relay with a time of 7:59.99.

  It was the Atlee team of Michael Atkinson, Shaowei Tu, Matt Coms and Marques Atkinson that claimed fifth in the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:21.20.

  In the boys 3200, Atlee junior Andrew Catanese finished seventh with a time of 9:32.72.

  The Patrick Henry girls and Atlee boys finished highest among local teams, both coming in 12th.