TORONTO—Evansville shot putter Joseph Maxwell of Evansville has now met and beat the qualification standards for the Pan-Am Junior Championship (World) games being held later this summer.
“It was raining during the competition, which makes it more difficult to post good scores, but I was able to qualify for the Pan-Am standards,” Mr. Maxwell told the Recorder Tuesday evening after a meet he participated in at York University.
With a throw of 17.97 metres, Mr. Maxwell bested the Pan-Am qualification standard of 17.20 metres. “It’s good that I got this out of the way and now I can focus on throwing further in my next events,” he told the Recorder.
Mr.Maxwell, who is competing in the under 20 division at provincial, national and world meets this summer, had just recently returned back home after finishing his first year at the University of Tennessee. One of the challenges that he faced at the US college level was throughout the season was having to get used to throwing a 16 pound shot, the college and Olympic standard, in comparison to six kg 913 pounds), which is the under 20 weight.
The York meet marked the beginning of what is going to be a very busy summer for Mr. Maxwell. He will be taking part in the Ontario championships June 18-19 in Windsor. From there he will go back to York University to compete in the trials for the Canada Summer Games, for Team Ontario at the Summer Games being held in Winnipeg, Manitoba June 28-August 13.
As well he will be participating in the Canada Junior Championships being held July 8-9.
The Pan-Am Junior Championship will take place July 21-23 in Peru.
