Pemherton’s Joshua Dixon turned in a record-setting performance at West Philly Nationals, throwing the discus 151-5 in the freshman division.
That broke the South Jersey freshman discus record of 146-1 set by Glassboro’s Gabriel Tarasevich at Delsea in May. Before this year, the top freshman discus mark was a 144-10 by Julian Feggins of Haddon Heights at the 2011 Woodbury Relays.
Dixon didn’t break the 100-foot barrier until last month, when he threw 110-2 at the BCSL Championships at Willingboro. He improved to 131-3 at the Burlington County Open, where he placed 2nd, just three feet behind Willingboro senior Anthony Lin.
He PR’d again at 143-1 when he placed 3rd at South Jersey Group Sectionals at Delsea and then improved to 143-4 earlier this month in a meet in Somerest.
At Franklin Field last week, Dixon opened with a 136-8 before hitting his 151-5 and then fouling. He finished 9th, missing the finals and three more throws by five inches.
It looks like Dixon’s 151-5 is the best throw by a Pemberton athlete in 40 years, since Albert Harris threw 153-9 at the 1986 BCSL Championships at Burlington City. Harris went on to win the South Jersey Group 4 meet at Buena with a 152-9.
Dixon’s 151-5 was 6th-best in South Jersey this year and No. 1 in Burlington County. He also threw 46-7 ¼, 3rd-best among South Jersey freshmen behind Delsea’s Holden Roskoski [48-6 ½] and Tarasevich [47-2]. Roskoski was New Jersey No. 1 among freshman with his 6th-place finish at West Philly Nationals.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 