Lodi Track Club’s McDowell making moves in events and life
Accomplishments: Maceo McDowell shined in the Capital City last week.
But before August is over, the Lodi Track Club member will be taking part in two sports outside of California.
McDowell competed at the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics at Sacramento State the last week in July. McDowell, who was in the 13-14 age boys’ group, took fourth place in the long jump at 6.06 meters (19 feet, 10 1/2 inches). That leap is a personal record for McDowell, who has been competing in the event for the last five years with the local track club.
“At the beginning I was pretty nervous,” McDowell said. “Then I just focused on improving my marks. It didn’t matter to me what place I got.”
In the javelin, McDowell took 32nd place at 30.97 meter (101 feet, 7.291 inches).
“I was nervous the first day out there,” McDowell said. “I didn’t make any of my throws, and I was kind of upset about that.”
Competing in the javelin in Sacramento will also be the last time McDowell competes in the event, since javelin is not offered in high school track and field.
But McDowell will continue in the long jump. He also plans to compete in the high and triple jumps, and working on sprinting workouts later this year.
McDowell got hooked onto track field through his three older brothers — Xavier, Elijah and Larry, who graduated from Lodi
High in late May. Larry McDowell was a two-sport athlete in football and track and field; he competed in the shot put and discus.
“That’s how I got into throwing,” said Maceo McDowell.
By the end of the month, McDowell and his family will be moving to Washington state. McDowell said he’ll be a freshman at Stadium High in Tacoma, Wash. He will be playing football this fall and with track and field next spring.
“When I was one (year old) we lived in Washington, then we moved here,” said McDowell. “They (Stadium High) start football in a couple of weeks. I’m going to be a bit late but only by a couple of days.”