Jake McEachern recently won three gold medals in throwing events at the Legion National Youth Track and Field Championship. Supplied Photo
Jake McEachern may need an upper body adjustment this week from his chiropractor dad, Kevin.
The Lloydminster U18 athlete was weighed down by three gold medals he won in throwing events at the Legion National Youth Track and Field Championship held in Sherbrooke, Quebec Aug. 5-7.
The teen finished first in the discus, shot put and hammer throw.
McEachern set a new personal best in the discus by more than two metres with a throw of 55.49 metres.
He won the hammer by more than 11m over his nearest competitor with a toss of 69.25m and captured shot put gold with a throw of 16.09m.
Now is he getting ready to attend a throwing camp in Kamloops British Columbia, stoked from his stellar performance in Quebec, which he talked about in a text sent before his flight home on Tuesday.
“I surpassed many people’s expectations, and while I wish I threw further in hammer (as I was three meters under my personal record), I was still extremely happy to win in all three ‘circle’ throws,” he said.
In Kamloops, McEachern will be taught by Dylan Armstrong, who was awarded a bronze medal in the shot put in 2015 from the 2008 Olympics after a doping disqualification by a Belarusian athlete.
He says the camp is something, “I am very much looking forward to.”
The Lloydminster phenom is encouraged to keep improving, motivated by his 20-year-old friend, Ethan Katzberg from Nanaimo B.C. He won a silver medal in the hammer throw at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham England this past weekend.
McEachern also says knowing Canadian Sarah Mitton won the women’s hammer gold at the games is “incredibly exciting” as he soaks in his golden outcome in Quebec.
The Legion Nationals are the country’s only nationwide competition for U16 and U18 athletes.
McEachern, who attends Lloydminster Comprehensive High School, was cheered on in Sherbrooke by his oldest sister and his mom, Dr. Marianne Stelmaschuk.
“It was great having my mom cheer me on, I always find it easier to throw when I have that level of support,” he said.
McEachern was also honoured by being elected one of two captains for the Alberta/Northwest Territories team in Sherbrooke, according to a glowing text from his mom.
“The athletes grew together as a team and no doubt the AB/NWT crew kindled friendships they will carry throughout their lifetime,” reported the proud mom on their flight home.
Jake’s dad, Kevin, held down the fort in Lloydminster and is proud to report his son was named the outstanding male U18 athlete at the meet with the guy to beat being ranked number one in Canada in his events.
“He did really well, he did excellent. He set a personal best in discus. He’s 40 centimetres off the all-time Canadian U18 amateur record,” he said.
McEachern’s Split City Sonics coach, Karl Meissner, posted a comment about the youngster’s results on social media while in Cali Columbia for the World Athletics U20 Championship Aug. 1-6.
“Proud of this guy-3 golds at Legion Nationals,” wrote Meissner.
Jaimee Springer who also coaches the Sonics is providing his leadership at the ongoing Canada Summer Games in Niagara, Ont.
McEachern and his teammates were coached in Sherbrooke by Max Legault from Red Deer Alta.
