Daily Pilot High School Athlete of the Week:

Sarah Keddington showed gratefulness for the compliments that came from the community after her story was published this past Thanksgiving.

The Corona del Mar High senior was happy to inspire others, as she came back from intense back surgery in February of 2009 that repaired scoliosis. She competed with the Sea Kings in the fall, as CdM won the CIF State Division III title. But she doesn’t want the story to end there.

Keddington has turned it up a notch in the spring to become one of the Sea Kings’ top athletes on the track and field team. Improvement seems to come each day with Keddington, who won two events at the Trabuco Hills Invitational last week.

Because she recorded personal-best times in the 800 meters and the 1,600, Keddington believes she will continue to improve.

Building strength is not foreign to her. Doctors told her it would take a year for her to return. She made her comeback in half that time.

What’s more, she has committed to compete in cross country and track and field at UC Berkeley.

“I feel amazed,” Keddington says of inspiring others. “I think it’s great for girls to see. I think it’s great for other athletes to see, athletes who have gone through injuries. When they have to go through something like this, I hope this gives them faith that they can come back. When I was going through what I went through, I would’ve liked to have seen a story like mine.”

Her strong will was on display last week, as she also won twice in a dual-meet win at Irvine. She won the 800 meters and the long jump.

A day later she was competing in the 800 open at Trabuco Hills. She won in 2 minutes, 16.05 seconds. Then she won the 1,600 invitational in 5:00.3 Saturday.

She wants to reach the CIF Southern Section Division III preliminaries in the 800 and 1,600. This is her first season competing in the 1,600. So naturally, she wants to excel in the 800, as she has set a goal to advance to the CIF Masters in the event.

Last year, she finished fourth in the 800 meters at the CIF Southern Section Division III finals.

Accomplishing her goal will be a huge challenge, but Keddington doesn’t seem fazed by the big-time test.

The strategy used for runners who compete in the 800 is usually difficult. Take it out too strong and you’re weak at the end. Try to save a big kick at the end, and you might fall too far behind during the quick race.

Two laps around the track go by quick.

But Keddington welcomes that type of race. She’s run a different one in her personal life, but she showed speed in her rehabilitation as well.

“It’s always been one of my favorite races,” she said. “It’s not a sprint really, but it’s a quick race. I like how it’s kind of in the middle ground of races. I like how it’s quick and short. I think it’s an exciting race. A lot can happen in such a quick race.”

Keddington is excited to run the 800 leg for CdM’s distance medley relay team in the prestigious Arcadia Invitational Saturday.