There is little doubt that when it came to the 2012 Royal Canadian Legion Championships staged last month in Oshawa, Joseph Maxwell was the story for District H (Northern Ontario).
Not only did the Manitoulin Island native capture gold in both the midget boys shot put and discus, he did so in record-setting fashion in the former.
To boot, Maxwell was head and shoulders better than any of the competitors this year, easily earning a berth at the Canadian Legion National Youth Track and Field Championships being held in Prince Edward Island from Aug. 17 to 19.
Maxwell heaved his shot put 19.30 metres on his fifth throw, smashing the 2001 record of Kyle Helf (18.63m). Maxwell finished more than five full metres ahead of second place finisher Yanic Joseph at 14.15 metres.
Maxwell then sailed the discus 55.89 metres, well ahead of Cole Cathcart (43.32m) and Noah Rolph (41.90).
Joining the talented thrower in reaching the podium for the district were Emily Good (bronze in midget girls shot put - 11.84m) and Nathan Jeffery (bronze in 1,500m steeplechase - 4:49.37).
A native of Sault Ste. Marie, Good narrowly missed out on gold, finishing in a three-way tie with Ashley Wallace and Savanna Laroche. With all three young ladies hitting the mark of 11.84 metres, the tie-breaker became the second longest throw, with Good sitting third at 11.29 metres.
Posted by Laurel Myers
