FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS—Joseph Maxwell of Evansville garnered a bronze medal at the very competitive South East Conference (SEC) Indoor Championship in men’s shot put last week as a member of the University of Tennessee Volunteers team.
“We had a good meet,” stated Mr. Maxwell when contacted by the Recorder this past Sunday, after he and his teammates arrived back in Tennessee this past Sunday evening. “I was 1.70 off my personal best record, although I would have like to have thrown a little better.”
Mr. Maxwell, who is a junior, explained that he entered the SEC championships at the Randal Tyson Track Centre ranked sixth in the conference and finished third.
The University of Tennessee website noted, “Tennessee junior Josepha Maxwell claimed a bronze medal in the men’s shot put to highlight Tennessee’s performances on day one of the SEC Indoor Track and Field championships Friday at the Randal Tyson Track Centre. Mr. Maxwell took third place with a mark of 18.95 metres (62-2.25), just one centimeter shy of his personal record. The performance earned second team All-SEC honours for the Evansville, Ontario, Canada native.”
Although he had a strong showing in this competition and throughout the indoor season, “I didn’t qualify for the national championships (National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). “To qualify you have to be in the top 16 in the county, and I was ranked 20th (after last Friday’s event).”
“But I competed really well and finished with a bronze medal,” said Mr. Maxwell. And he said, “I think I will make it (to the NCAA’s) during the outdoor season.”
Mr. Maxwell said, “I’ll start getting ready for the outdoor season, and probably pick up the discus as well. I’m going to be training outdoors in March and be attending a training camp in Orlando, Florida (in March). Then we open the season at the University of Miami in March, as well.”
