St Joseph’s Primary School student Isaac Edwards comes fourth in shot put at Polding athletics competition at Hunter Sports Centre, Glendale.

The 10-year-old travelled to Hunter Sports Centre at Glendale on Friday, September 9 for the event.

Isaac had previously won through two levels of competition in the eight to 10-year-old division to qualify for Polding.

He won his school competition, before he took out the junior shot put at the Maitland-Newcastle Dioceses level.

This victory streak qualified him for the Polding event.

His throw of 8.06 metres just missed out on a top-three qualifying spot for the state competition in October at Sydney Olympic Park.

It was the furthest that the year-five student had ever made it in the shot put.

Last year, he made it to the Maitland-Newcastle Dioceses level but broke his arm in a dirt bike accident.

Isaac’s mother Angela Edwards said her son made sure not to go near any motorbikes during the competition this year.

“He was adamant he was going to make it,” she said.

Isaac was the only student to make it through to the Polding competition from St Joseph’s Primary School.

He was also one of just two students to make it through to the Maitland-Newcastle level, the other being Tom Godfrey who competed in the same event.

Isaac, who also plays rugby league and cricket, has taken part in shot put for just a few years. 

He completed a year of Little Athletics and also participated in the event through school over the years.

Mrs Edwards said her husband Bruce made it to state level shot put when he was younger, so Isaac wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“It was a bit of a challenge for him,” Mrs Edwards said.

Isaac put his mind to this success and got out in the yard to practice with a shot put and tape measure each afternoon after school.

But Mrs Edwards said shot put was still just a fun thing that Isaac enjoyed doing.

Both the school and the Edwards family are wrapped with Isaac’s achievements in the athletics competition.

“It’s fantastic, it’s a high level to make it to,” St Joseph’s Primary School principal Michael Maloney said.

“”He’s done very, very well.”

“Bruce and I are extremely proud,” Mrs Edwards added.

“He did really well and it’s such a good experience for him.”

Mrs Edwards said her son now has his eyes set on qualification for state level athletics when he competes in the under-11s competition in 2017.