On June 4th at the MIAA (Massachusetts) Meet of Champions, Nicholas Askjaer threw the Discus 57.02m / 187' 1" for 1st place and the meet record. He also threw the Shot 18.77m / 61' 7" for 1st and the meet record.
On June 13th at the New England High School Meet of Champions in Maine, he threw the Shot 65' 2" for 1st and a meet record. He also threw the Discus 183' 2" for 2nd place.
On June 18th at the New Balance Nationals, Nicholas threw the Discus 59.89m / 196' 6" for 5th and a new MA HS Record (previously held by Sam Welsh's mark of 195' 11" set at the Bay State Game in 2017).
On June 19th at the New Balance Nationals, Nicholas threw the Shot with his final throw reaching 19.53m / 64' 1" for 1st Place.
Q) How did you get into Track and Field? And how long have you lived in New England?
A: I got into track and field around my freshman year of high school. My dad was a decathlete who competed both collegiately at Fresno State and post-collegiately for the Danish National Team. My older brother, who is now a decathlete at The Naval Academy, was an aspiring multi-event athlete who I trained with and drew great inspiration from. Throughout my Freshman year, I took a special liking to the throws thanks to some good coaching and fell in love with the sport ever since. I have lived in New England my whole life. Dealing with the winters and training through poor weather is a part of the process and an aspect that I believe contributes to my grit and ability to perform well on big stages regardless of the weather.
Q) What were your goals and expectations going into your junior season this year? Were you expecting to perform as well as you did?
A) Going into my junior year, I wanted to set a high bar for myself. I pride myself on being well-rounded in shot put and discus, so going into the outdoor season I had my eyes set on winning the state championship in both events, winning the Meet of Champions in both events, winning the New England Championship in both events, and finishing All-American in both at New Balance. I knew I could rise to the occasion because I felt how much my hard work was coming together. I was able to capitalize on countless off-season reps in the circle and in the weight room and use the weeks leading up to these big meets to put the cherry on top and feel good.
Q) You finished first in the Shot Put and fifth in the Discus Throw at New Balance Nationals Outdoor. How did that meet go? Did everything go according to plan? A)That meet ended up going very well for me; I ended up accomplishing the goals I had set. Despite the outcome, things did not go according to plan initially. I started my discus series off with two disappointing throws, going into my third knowing that it was all or nothing. I threw a nine-foot PR in the third round to advance to finals, where I would throw another PR on my last attempt. Being able to stay composed in moments like that goes beyond physical preparation and demonstrates the degree of mental toughness needed in this sport. I was able to extend the lead on the rest of the field with my last shot throw. Being a national champion is something I have dreamed about, and in the moment it felt surreal.
Q) After such a strong junior year, how are you feeling going into your senior year? Have your goals changed?
A) At the beginning of this outdoor season, I was told I had a torn ACL, which I unknowingly had been competing on for two years. Hearing this news was a shock to me, and in an instant my junior outdoor season was in question of even taking place. I was cleared to finish the season and scheduled surgery for the summer. I am taking this summer to recover and lay a new foundation to build on in the spring. Despite this injury, my goals haven’t changed for next year. My eyes are still set on both state records, as I want to cement my name in Massachusetts track and field history.
Q) You’re also a very impressive football player. Has football always been a big part of your life as well? How much are you working on throwing during football season?
A) Like track, my passion for football came in high school. By joining Cohasset Football, I found myself surrounded by hard workers and leaders. I feel so grateful to have been on the same team as some of these guys who have graduated, and I feel a responsibility to spread the same winning values to the younger grades as a captain next year. While I won’t be able to play because of my knee, I am looking forward to leading the team and seeing how we can grow.