Joseph makes giant leaps on the track
A record-breaking summer track and field performance garnered a prestigious award for Swift Current’s Scott Joseph.
The 17-year-old was recently named the Bob Adams Foundation U18 Male (Field) Athlete of the Year at an awards banquet in Saskatoon on Oct. 27.
“At first I was shocked and then I realized I kind of worked hard for it, so I am proud of myself for that. I thought of my coaches for helping me to get there. It was a pretty great feeling,” said Joseph.
“Scott had a phenomenal outdoor track and field season. His summer was filled with personal best and record-breaking performances. He is a great athlete who still has a lot of room to improve,” noted Swift Current Comp. track and field coach Mandi Tuplin.
The 6’4’’ Joseph had an incredible performance at the Tri-province Meet in Sherwood Park on July 27-29 while competing for Team Saskatchewan.
“I was nervous honestly because I was competing against the toughest people from other places,” admitted Joseph. “I was scared at first until I called my friend and he told me that this was mine and I had to do whatever I can. That’s what I did, I tried my best and I got a personal best in Long Jump.”
He broke the meet record in the Long Jump when he reached a personal best of 6.63 metres.
His record breaking performance was over one metre further than his 5.56 metres effort at High School Provincials, where he finished 10th overall.
“I just felt like at Provincials I just didn’t have a good day, probably didn’t stretch enough I’m thinking. I practiced more after that. I just practiced more over the summer and I think that’s where it came from.”
Joseph also won silver in the Triple Jump when he reached 14.00 Metres to pass the previous meet record. He was fifth in the 200 Metres in 23.36 seconds and was sixth in the 100 Metre Dash Preliminaries.
Joseph believes that Triple Jump is still his best event.
“I don’t have the steps yet, but I would say Triple Jump is my best event.”
“I believe Scott can be the best triple jumper in the country. There are still skills he needs to improve and if he chooses to work at that he will go very far in the sport,” said Tuplin.
Joseph was born and raised in Niger and moved to Canada in 2011. His family relocated from Winnipeg to Swift Current in grade 10. He follows the track and field world through Youtube and looks up to Usain Bolt and American Triple Jumper Christian Taylor, the reigning Olympic and World Champion.
Joseph is also a member of the Colts Soccer and Colts Basketball teams, but he knows that his future is on the track. He has some university offers already but has not made any commitments to where he will study Education and compete in Track and Field.
Before he does that though, he still has one more season to compete for the Colts Track and Field team. Last season, he finished second in the Junior Boys aggregate standings at Provincials. He won the Triple Jump and 100 Metres, was third in the 200 Metres, and 10th in the Long Jump, leaving room for improvement in his final year of eligibility.
Joseph is also hoping to compete at the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games in Swift Current next summer.
“Honestly it would be amazing to compete in my home town. It would be great,” he said.