SEMO track star Paden Lewis shatters the shot put record

Senior thrower Paden Lewis engraved his name in SEMO track and field history with a record-shattering throw of over 61 feet at the Dr. Rick McGuire Invitational on Feb. 1.

After achieving the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Male Field Athlete of the Year award last year there was a lot of pressure on Paden to succeed heading into the new season.

However, the senior thrower has had no trouble finding success thus far as he launched a 61’ 1.5” throw to place himself first in the OVC and third overall at the meet while also earning the OVC Male Field Athlete of the Week award.

Lewis said he was excited to break the record, but he believes there is more to achieve.

“It feels great, something that I wish I could’ve accomplished last year, but it still feels good to go ahead and knock it out this year,” Lewis said. “Still have the outdoor record to chase as well this coming season. The indoor record I think I can push a little bit farther these next couple of meets. So, very very excited to finally get that broken.”

Lewis said he was not sure if the throw would be enough to break the record.

“I threw it and [thought], that’s gonna be good, but I’d like to see where it lands before I start screaming.” Lewis said. “But seeing it land over the 18 (meters) line sometimes, the depth perception, you don’t know exactly, so you just kind of have to wait to see what the measurement is.”

Lewis gives a lot of credit to his support system for his success with much praise for the SEMO track and field head coach Eric Crumpecker.

“Yeah, Coach Eric has been just fantastic. He’s been a fantastic coach, fantastic leader. He’s always believed in me and believed in what I can do, believes what I can do in the future and I’ve just been very appreciative of that.” Lewis said.

Crumpecker’s praise for Lewis is reciprocated.

“He’s just the nicest young man you’d ever want to meet. It’s been a joy having him on the team. I wish I could have had him here his entire college career. That’s my biggest regret not getting him here out of high school,” Crumpecker said.

Lewis’s teammate, graduate student thrower Clay Alewelt, views Lewis as one of his closest friends and someone he will always support.

“I was definitely happy for him, because not only we’re teammates or roommates, we’re close friends. He’s definitely one of the throwers that when he throws a PR, you’re really proud of him, happy for him, not jealous at all,” Alewelt said.

Lewis still has big goals of competing and winning multiple national championships.

“So, we will be going to the National Championship in Virginia Beach coming up on March 14, so that’ll be fun, hoping we can get a mark in shot put. If I can go for both, it’d be amazing,” Lewis said. “But also throwing this far this early, I’ve never thrown this far this early, so I think I’m in a good position, you know, set up for getting past regionals into the National Championship meet.”

The SEMO track and field team’s next meet is at home on Friday Feb. 21 in preparation for the OVC Championship right around the corner.