ITALY – Kortnei Johnson, 17, is modest, focused and fast.
"I love running and I have an ultimate goal and that's the Olympics," she said.
Johnson is one of the fastest runners in Texas and the most decorated athlete ever at Italy High School, with 10 state medals to prove it.
"The thing that makes her different from everybody else [is] at night when they are inside playing video games she's still outside continuing to run and work out," said Bobby Campbell, Italy High School coach.
Johnson is the state 2A champ in the 100- and 200-meter dash. She also scored second fastest in the country this school year in the 200-meter, which helped put Italy on the map.
That has attracted college scouts from Kansas, LSU, and one familiar name from the University of Houston.
"We had Carl Lewis come up here," said Lee Joffre, principal. "He spent the day with her, recruiting her.
The staff even asked for Lewis' visitor badge back to keep as a souvenir.
But what is more remarkable is that Italy High School doesn't even have a track. It never has. During track season, school maintenance just mows an empty field once a week for athletes to run short sprints.
"It hurts," Johnson added. "It hurts a lot 'cause I don't have the resources I need to get faster but I always remember where I come from since I just run on a field."
She is a small town girl with the gift of speed who proves resources aren't always required to achieve what you want to accomplish.
Johnson said she accepted a full ride scholarship to LSU. There's a parade in her honor on Friday at 1:00 p.m. before graduation.
