Sports Update: Sophomore Thrower Continues to Excel

By Billy Malewich '12

Scoring in any event during a track and field meet is a difficult feat, let alone winning the event altogether.

Sophomore shot put and discus thrower Joseph Medina ’19 has been able to score every time he has thrown against fellow sophomores in the CHSAA. He has won all but one JV shot put and discus event since the winter, claiming the six first-place points awarded to the winner. This past Monday, Medina continued his scoring success as he won the sophomore shot put with a throw of 41 feet 11 inches and a discus throw of 113 feet 5 inches to become a New York sectional champion in two field events. The Xavier E-News caught up with him to talk about his success and how he is preparing for the rest of the 2017 season.

Xavier E-News: When were you introduced to throwing, and how long have you been doing it?
Joseph Medina '19: I was introduced to throwing last year when my brother joined the team for Holy Cross High School on Long Island. He did not stick with it, so it slipped from my mind. I joined the Xavier team because Mr. [Joseph] Guglielmo said I would be a good fit. I have been throwing since a little bit before the beginning of the indoor season.

E-News: How have you been able to be successful this past school year?
Medina: I have had my success mainly because I have a great group of people who help me stay focused on getting better. Mainly my family, because they are a never-ending support system that always has my best interests at heart. But a lot of the credit has to go to my coaches who have taught me ways to throw and how to keep getting better.

E-News: What is the ideal distance for both the shot put and the discus, and how do you plan to achieve those goals?
Medina: My ideal goal for the discus would be 126 because the only time I was beaten it was by a kid who threw 125. For shot put, I want to throw at least 48 because I promised my father I would throw that far for him. I will reach my goals by continuing to work out and make my throwing technique better.

E-News: What will you do for an encore?
Medina: By the end of the season I want to win the sophomore intersectional title, and I want to throw a lot further so I can become one of the best varsity throwers. I want to beat the current records for both discus and shot put at Xavier and become number one.