Josh Paul breaks Cedarvilles 20-year-old Triple Jump record from Cedarville

By Danielle Cherry

The newcomer Josh Paul gets air and stole on February 7 for his third leap of the NCCAA track meeting. Nervous, but confident, he begins his approach. Paul, a boundary leap, followed by an extension step that ends with a jump into the pit, has been breaking the long -term record since 2005 by only inch.

“When I broke it for the first time, I didn't really think about it. I just thought we still had three jumps to do, just let ourselves go, ”said Paul.

Encouraged by his teammates Paul reached his last leap with the intention of breaking his third jump record. A slow gossip breaks out in the crowd and increases at excitement and pace when Paul runs towards the pit. Not once, but twice Paul breaks the record with a total of 7½ inches more than the record from 2005.

“I wasn't as if I was jumping out of the gym or something, but it was only finally what my goal was and finally getting what I tried to get all the season,” said Paul. “I was really happy with my performance. I had the feeling that I went out there and did my best, and at the end of the day it is really all we should do. “

The meeting fell for a bad time for Paul after he had just recovered from a knee injury. The week before the meeting, he did not complete any training, only recovery. Paul realized how even small things can lead to enormous results.

“This week, the little things were most importantly as if they were drinking enough water, eating and sleeping,” said Paul. “I only noticed this this year when I didn't get as much sleep and realized how it influenced me.”

Paul started his journey to ironically pursue by basketball. Paul grew up in a family of basketball players and assumed that he would follow the example. But during his first high school year he changed the course and had to play football. Due to an injury, Paul was out of the season and this setback opened a window in athletics.

“I started the track in the second year,” said Paul. “I was terrible in it, like everyone else than they started, but in my junior year I got pretty good in it, and then the final year was a kind of year in which I started finding things out.”

From the beginning, Paul was a sweater and dived with his toes in every kind: long jump and high jump before he landed on Triple Jump. When he started, it was difficult to learn the extended footwork for the triple jump because it differs from long jump form. At the same time, he trained to cope with the pressure exerted on the legs.

“One of my first jumps that I have on video that I didn't even put into the pit, which sucks on my legs and is also very embarrassing,” said Paul. “Triple Jump is one of these things in which you will only be good when you do it over and over again.”

Over the years, Paul has built his craft and is the only triple jumper in the Cedarville team. Although the track is an individual competition, the track is more team -oriented than most think. The joke between teammates spreads the group forward and urges everyone to work harder and fight.

“It is a constant iron that sharpens iron and we push each other to get better,” said Paul. “This is a healthy competition.”

Breaking the record illuminates Paul's skills and gives him more opportunities to participate in a higher competition and more time with the coaches. After completing this goal, Paul tries to make it to nationals, where he has to reach 14.49 meters to qualify.

“Since it was my first year and broke the school record, I have a lot of hope for the future and the rest of these three years,” said Paul.

Danielle Cherry is a new student and writer for Cedars A&E and Sport. She is a mission child from Germany and loves a good cup of coffee.

Photo provided by Cedarville Athletics and recorded by Logan Howard