Kikanae Punyua is back.

Punyua became a star in the local running scene last year when he emerged as one of the state's best distance runners while in the country for a year at Wilde Lake. But Punyua's visa expired after the school year, forcing him back to Kenya. But after a long summer of battling to return to the United States -- aided by Wilde Lake coach Whitty Bass and others -- Punyua was able to work everything out and arrived in Howard County again last Thursday.

But there's one change. Punyua will be going to school at Glenelg Country School, and he ran his first race Tuesday. Punyua won by 49 seconds in a meet with GCS, St. Paul's and Severn.

Punyua was able to obtain an F-1 visa to return to the United States -- something that Howard County and some other public schools don't accept, but some private schools do. It is a two-year visa, which will let Punyua finish his final year of high school and get set for college.

He's already drawn the attention of several colleges after winning a state title in both indoor and outdoor track last year.

-- Jeff Seidel