Ramona’s Ettore speeds past all competition at state meet

Essentially the most embellished athlete on the 102nd California State Monitor and Area Championships in Clovis wasn’t a nationwide document setter, an excellent sprinter or a high-flying pole vaulter.

It was Ramona Excessive’s Josiah Ettore.

Nobody else among the many greatest observe athletes in California captured three particular person gold medals in state-record time.

Ettore, a junior, gained the 100-meter race in 16.74 seconds, the 200 in 32.14 and the 400 in 1:05.18.

Not nice instances?

Not for the California State Monitor and Area Championships, however they’re for a wheelchair para-athlete, private bests each one, on the Para-Athlete State Championships held along with the State Championships.

And the Wheelechair and Ambulatory Division triple-winner acquired the identical nice ovation from the followers within the packed stands and the officers on the infield because the State Championship performers as he had his gold medals draped round his neck.

Not dangerous for somebody who misplaced each of his legs as a 4-year-old once they have been amputated after a critical an infection in Ethiopia.

“I used to be a wheelchair basketball participant till on the finish of my freshman yr in highschool after I went to a bit observe clinic,” stated the 18-year-old Ettore.

“I loved basketball, however I wasn’t an excellent shooter. In observe, I wasn’t the quickest at first, however I appreciated it. I knew I’d should work at it to get higher.

“At first it was a energy factor, however then I began lifting weights with my dad, John.”

Whereas he labored and labored till he lowered his instances, he actually had no method of understanding simply how good he is likely to be till the state meet.

“I had by no means raced towards something however the clock,” stated Ettore, who competed by himself within the San Diego Part championships. “The state meet was the primary time I raced anybody else (Los Altos’ Brandon Louie).

“I actually didn’t take into consideration him, I simply wished to win and get a PR (private document). I’m on fireplace now. There’s a Junior Olympic occasion in Denver in July that my dad and I are wanting into.”

Just a little historical past. The state solely just lately added para-athlete occasions to the championship calendar and a few occasions have a full 9 or extra people or groups. Some have only one.

The numbers, nevertheless, are rising quickly.

When Ettore completed that clinic, he was supplied a racing bike from the Challenged Athletes Basis to make use of till he graduated and now is rather like every other Ramona Excessive observe athlete, figuring out every day to get stronger and quicker.

It labored at Clovis, the place he gained the 400 on a Friday and swept the 100 and 200 on Saturday.

“Each time Josiah races, he improves his instances,” stated Ramona’s retiring observe coach Sherri Edwards of Ettore, who was named the workforce’s Most Helpful Athlete at Thursday evening’s observe banquet. “He couldn’t wait to race. He simply blew away these data.”

The earlier bests have been 19.79 within the 100, 37.43 within the 200 and 1:16.25, all by Escondido Constitution’s Michael Search engine optimization in 2017.

Off the observe, Ettore is fairly well-known not as a result of he’s a state champion however as a result of he’s the one scholar allowed to make use of a skateboard to get from class to class.

“I’m fairly snug on the skateboard,” stated Ettore. “I’ve been late to class a few instances nevertheless it’s due to the site visitors. Nothing I can do about that.”

Ramona Principal Tony Newman stated the varsity honored Ettore with a presentation within the faculty quad on Thursday.

“It was a pleasant recognition, and the opposite college students love him,” stated Newman. “He sits on that board and it’s superb. He’s so expert shifting round. You may think about how tough that’s with so many college students.”

Ettore is such a observe novice that he isn’t certain the place he stands in comparison with different wheelchair para-athletes, a few of whom have been pushing their specifically constructed three-wheeled bikes for years in main competitions worldwide.

“I actually don’t learn about others’ instances, however I’d prefer to compete towards them,” stated Ettore. “I plan to do that for the remainder of my life and I’d prefer to know the place I stand. However for proper now, competing and successful at state was nice. The reality is, I used to be so centered on what I used to be doing I didn’t actually hear the gang till I completed.

“There have been a whole lot of individuals within the stands (really 1000’s) they usually handled me so effectively. That was enjoyable and it has helped encourage me to proceed.”

Model is a contract author.