LEWISTON — Josia Katroli moved to Lewiston and immediately started setting school records.

Before this season, the Lewiston High School boys outdoor track and field program’s high jump record was 6 feet, 2 inches. Katroli surpassed that early in the season when he jumped 6-4. Midway through the season, he jumped 6-5, and a week later, at the River City Rivals meet in Brewer, Katroli jumped his highest yet, 6-9.5.

“I kind of expected it because I was working really hard during the preseason,” Katroli said. “I was pretty excited because that was my latest PR, my last PR was last year, so it’s pretty exciting.”

Lewiston Junior, Josia Katroli sets a new BCS facility record with a high jump of 6’9.5″ he is coming for our home town boy, Cayden Spencer-Thompson’s state record of 6’11” Super humble kid and love the crowd participation! pic.twitter.com/IR76VRPsx0

— Amanda Fullerton (@shoreyal8) May 18, 2024

Next up, he’ll contend for a state championship Saturday at the Class A meet at Thornton Academy in Saco.

As soon as Katroli joined the Blue Devils, the program’s high jump record was put on notice because he brought with him a personal record of 6-8.

Katroli moved to Maine from Namibia, Africa, to be closer to family in Lewiston. He said he’s been competing in the high jump for most of his life, but he started taking it seriously in 2022 at Windhoek Gymnasium Secondary School in Windhoek, Namibia.

The 6-foot-2 junior said jumping 6-4 is a solid height for someone of his stature. The difference in his ability is thanks to his first high jump coach in Windhoek, Madelene Coetzee, who showed him new techniques to add height.

“I really just, I just jumped, I didn’t know anything about it until recently, like two years ago,” Katroli said. “I got my first coach, and I got serious with it. I just did a lot of form training, like (learning) to arch your back going over the bar, and knee drive, everything like that. It just helped me jump higher, basically.”

Katroli has been participating in track and field for several years, and he said the difference between Maine and Namibia is the level of exposure.

“I think there’s more people that do it here,” Katroli said. “It’s only a few that do (in Namibia) and most of them just play rugby, so they just do it during the offseason there.”

At the end of the 2022 season in Africa, Katroli earned the opportunity to compete for his country in an international meet, against athletes from Trinidad and Tobago. At that meet, he placed sixth overall and jumped 6-6.

Katroli cites the international meet as the point that he started to take track seriously, and hired the “best coach in the area,” to aim for even higher jumps.

SIGHTS SET HIGH

Katroli said Lewiston track and field coach Craig John also has been integral in his athletic development.

John said Katroli’s coachability sets him apart as an athlete.

“He started with us during the intervals,” John said. “It’s been great, he’s such a good guy. I mean, he’s good-natured, he’s very coachable, he wants feedback, and since I’m the high jump coach, I work with him a fair amount.”

A typical practice for Katroli and the other Lewiston high jumpers includes analyzing each jump on video with John to see where improvements can be made. Also included is intersquad competition.

Katroli said the rivalry is lively but friendly between the Blue Devils’ jumpers, and adds that camaraderie has been the highlight of his first season in America.

“He’s just such an easygoing guy, and he’s been a great addition to have on the team,” John said. “He’s got a good sense of humor. I just can’t say enough good things about the guy. He just came into the team and fit perfectly, there was no awkwardness at all and he’s extremely modest for his ability.”

Most recently, Katroli had the highest jump, 6-2, at the KVAC championships. While that’s a few inches shy of his personal best, he said that was strategic, so he can save up his energy and ability to excel at the state meet on Saturday.

“I’m hoping to get over 6-8,” Katroli said of the state meet, “and after that, 6-10.”

The Class A outdoor state meet record is 6-10.25, which is less than an inch higher than Katroli’s PR. The overall state record is 6-11.

He also has his eyes on the Maine indoor record, which is 6-10. Katroli set a school record with a 6-7 jump at the New Balance Nationals in March, which was sixth at the meet and earned him All-American status.

Congrats to Josia Katroli … just cleared 6’7” at the New Balance Nationals

New school record & a 6th place finish which earns him All-American status pic.twitter.com/prQ3Cg4fWg

— BlueDevil Athletics (@LHSBlueDevils) March 8, 2024

Katroli is seeded second at Saturday’s Class A state meet in the high jump, behind Gorham junior Griffin Gammon. A day before Katroli jumped 6-9.5, Gammon had a 6-9.75.

Katroli also is one of the best long jumpers in Class A, with PR of 22-1.5 that ranks fourth in the class. John points out that Katroli is also a strong sprinter, and an “integral part of our 4×100 relay team.”

“What I want for him is that I just expect he will give 100% because he always does. You get 110% every time he gets on the track,” John said. “I just want him to have fun the rest of the season. He’s already put in all the hard work at this point. We’re going to have intense competition, for sure, but I hope he enjoys it.”