EVANSVILLE—Joseph Maxwell has done it again! Not only did he break the provincial record in the outdoor shot put (a mark he had set himself last year) but he has also set a new discus throw record as well, while taking part in the Royal Canadian Legion provincial track and field championships over the weekend. Joseph has also been named as a member of the Ontario team which will take part in the national championships.
Joseph, who is 15 and competed in the under age 16 group at the provincials, “broke the provincial marks in both of these events,” said his father Steve when contacted by the Recorder on Monday. “Joseph set two new provincial records in the discus 59.29 metres (he didn’t previously hold the record in this event) and 19.70 metres in the shot put,” said Mr. Maxwell.
“He also has an upcoming provincial event at York University against competitors two levels up, meaning up to the age of 19, which will prove to be very competitive not only by who is there but that they use a six kilogram shot put,” said Steve Maxwell.
“I’m doing alright,” stated Joseph Maxwell when contacted by the Recorder Monday. His margin of victory in the discus was 13 metres from the second place finisher and a little over four metres over the next competitor in the shot put. “It was good to get a record in each,” he said.
Joseph pointed out this was his last year in the midget division on the provincial level, “but there is an older, youth division for all athletes under the age of 18, so I have two more years to be able to compete provincially. “
He also noted that, “the upcoming York University Ontario championships will be a little different as I will be moving up two ages into the junior division, so I will be competing against athletes 18-19 years of age. The shot put will be heavier, six kilograms, which is quite a bit heavier than I threw for instance in this latest competition (four kg). It is a lot harder to throw and get your rhythm but I’ve done a lot of training with the heavier shot.”
“I will be a representative on Team Ontario for the national championships being held in Langley, British Columbia August 7-13, continued Joseph. “I definitely think I have a good chance to win nationally.” Down the line he has set his sights on possibly going to a large university/college and has the Olympic Games in his crosshairs. “Certainly, the Olympics is something I’ve thought about. You have to be 18 to go through to the Olympics and in 2016 I’ll be 18. All of this is in my mind certainly, but it’s one step at a time.”
