2008 Results

Jackson Gray captures discus gold

Posted By SCOTT STEPHENSON, THE OBSERVER

Jackson Gray wanted the record. He settled for gold.

Gray, 17, won the U-17 discus title at the Legion Canadian Youth Athletic Championships in Sherbrooke, Que. earlier this month with a distance of 50.43 metres on his fourth and final throw of the meet.

"Initially in warm up, I felt like I could potentially go for the record which was 54 metres. I was landing them right close to that mark," Gray said, referring to a flag marking Kyle Helf's 2002 record of 54.13 m set in 2002 on the competition field. "I just got too jumpy and the next thing I knew I was down losing. I knew had to get one in to win."

Although disappointed with failing to nail a new record, Gray said he was "just happy to come out with a win" for Team Ontario.

Gray, who enters Grade 12 at SCITS in September, also had throws of 38.0m 45.62m 45.25m and 47.85m, finished in front of Geoffrey Myatt of Novas Scotia who took home the silver medal with a throw of 48.87m. Alexandre Gagné, of Sherbrooke, won bronze with a toss of 48.38m.

Gray, the reigning LSSAA senior boys discus and shot put champion, also placed sixth overall in the shot put at the Legion nationals with a distance of 14.90 metres. The event was won by Tom Wilcox of British Columbia with a distance of 16.52 m.

It was the second time Gray has been a member of Team Ontario having competed in 2005 in Burnaby B. C., winning a gold in shot and finishing fourth in discus in the Under 15 age division.

"Unfortunately it wasn't so great of a season," Gray, wearing his red Team Ontario warmup suit with his gold medal hanging proudly around his neck, says of shot put results. "I've still got to work thing out. I've switched techniques from the glide technique to the spin and I'm still trying to figure that out."

Gray, who also competes with Sarnia Athletics Southwest Track and Field Club, says he hopes to get the new technique down by the start of the indoor season later this year. However, he admits breaking Andy Ysebaert's senior shot put record of 17.6m will take a monumental effort.

"The guy that has the record is a friend of mine," Gray said, "Eighteen metres.  That's a pretty big accomplishment. I plan to break that but it's a difficult task."

Gray's personal best in the shot put is currently 16.95m.

"I'm definitely going to have to have a good off season. I'll just have to wait and see I guess."

Earlier in the summer, Gray competed at the Ontario Legion championships Under 17 Men's division finishing first in discus with a winning distance of 49.77m, and earning a bronze in shot put.