Correspondent photo / Lowell Spencer. Mathews’ Joseph Linkesh competes in the discus event during the Poland Invitational on Saturday in Poland.

POLAND — When it comes to dedication and hard work, Mathews’ Joe Linkesh is proof that it pays off in the end.

The senior thrower is seeing the results of his labor with winning results in this year’s track and field events. In Saturday’s 29th annual Poland Invitational Track and Field Classic, he captured first place in the shot with a mark of 56-3.

That bested Jonathan Culp of Mineral Ridge at 52-11.50 and Amir Ali of Canfield with 51-9. It represents the second year in a row that Linkesh has won the shot at the Poland meet. He won in 2024 with a winning mark of 54-07.

“Poland has really nice rings,” Linkesh said. “That kind of helps in going against the weather. I think I did pretty good on the day.”

In the boys team standings, McDonald would take first place, with Mineral Ridge and Salem finishing second and third on the day. On the girls’ side, Salem took top honors with McDonald and Mineral Ridge taking second and third place.

Linkesh also had a solid day throwing the discus as he claimed third place in the event with a mark of 144-5, which was behind McDonald’s Drew Zajack’s winning mark of 165-2 and second-place finisher Kellen Holcomb of Canfield with 147-8. Last year, Linkesh finished fourth with a mark of 160-6.

“I can’t complain about that,” Linkesh said. “I had some technical errors that I kind of fixed midway through, and I definitely wished I could have caught a big one, but oh well.

“Weather-wise, it wasn’t that bad of a day. It’s late April, I guess it should have been better than it was today, but I can’t complain about how I did today.”

The blustery conditions with sub-50 degree temperatures and a cold 10-20 mph wind caused all the athletes to struggle in performing up to their best. Several athletes dropped out of secondary events as a result of the conditions to avoid the risk of injury.

“You have to take extra precautions in warming up,” Linkesh said. “You have to take a little more time and focus on it better. And your hand, when throwing a shot, gets a little tingly if you have tape on your hand, which I do. It definitely hurts a little bit.”

Linkesh described his dedication with a full summer of training and conditioning to improve himself for the track and field season, which has helped to lead to his positive results.

“The whole summer — I don’t play any other sport,” Linkesh said. “So, it’s throw, throw, throw, lift, lift, lift. It’s all about what I do in the summer.”

Last year, Linkesh placed fifth in the shot put at the state championship meet with a mark of 53-11. At this point, it is all about those little things that will add up for another year in Columbus.

“I think I’m at that point where I have kind of gotten over the big things, and it is just small critiques here and there, which will eventually gain me some feet in both the discus and shot,” he said.

Reflecting on his career, he has seen himself steadily improve in his technique and strength, which consequently has improved his performances.

“So, in my freshman year, I think I threw 117 in discus, and in shot, it was about 37, 38,” Linkesh said. “So, just working over the past four years, it takes a lot of time and reps, but it definitely pays off.”

Linkesh is an athlete who may have an opportunity to once again find himself on a podium in Columbus this summer.

MEET RESULTS

BOYS WINNERS: Team: McDonald 67 points; Shot put: Joseph Linkesh (Mathews), 56-3; Discus: Drew Zajack (McDonald). 165-2; Long jump: Lucas Adams (Salem), 19-10.25; High jump: Braydon Gilbert (Crestview), 6-0; 4×800 relay: McDonald, 8:26.36; 110 hurdles: Dante Gentile (Springfield), 15.75; 100: Josiah Hunter (Girard), 11.24; 4×200 relay: Cardinal Mooney, 1:33.55; 1600: Carson Klase (McDonald), 4:34.58; 4×100 relay: Warren JFK, 45.49; 400: Drew Modelski (Lowellville), 49.23; 300 hurdles: Nathan Cuckovich (Warren JFK), 40.85; 800: Andrew Donaldson (Maplewood), 2:05.44; 200: Drew Modelski (Lowellville), 21.74; 3200: Dominic Pappagallo (Mineral Ridge), 9:47.08; 4×400 relay: Lowellville, 3:35.74; Seated 100: Conner Hunt (Garfield), 15.01; Seated 400: Conner Hunt (Garfield), 1:00.08; Seated 800: Conner Hunt (Garfield), 2:10.91

GIRLS WINNERS: Team: Salem 105 points; Shot put: Cierra Shiley (McDonald), 38-7.50; Discus: Emma Bundy (McDonald), 132-0; Long jump: Alexis Pieton (Girard), 15-11.25; High jump: Peyton Colbert (Salem), 4-10; 4×800 relay: McDonald, 9:56.75; 100 hurdles: Ava Hulett (Mineral Ridge), 15.06; 100: Jessica Hansen (Girard), 12.72; 4×200 relay: Salem, 1:51.64; 1600: Naomi Sheesley (McDonald), 5:18.35; 4×100 relay: Salem, 52.27; 400: Abby Knickerbocker (Salem), 1:01.55; 300 hurdles: Ava Hulett (Mineral Ridge), 46.06; 800: Naomi Sheesley (McDonald), 2:25.93; 200: Talecia Huff (Cardinal Mooney), 27.09; 3200: Maggie Hall (Salem), 11:30.80; 4×400 relay: Mineral Ridge, 4:22.45.