KINGSTON, N.Y. – Breaking a nearly 40-year track and field record might be a high bar, but when the record holder is your father, that’s all the motivation Joey McDonald needs.

“You always want to beat your own PR (personal record)," McDonald said. "And in my case, I wanted to beat my dad's PR, all of high school. Now I want to beat what I got. So it adds adrenaline.”

McDonald now owns two prominent track and field records at Kingston High School – long jump and high jump marks that were once claimed by his father, Joe. Those records weren’t challenged for decades.

“I knew once my son started developing, I said, 'if anyone is going to break my record, it's going to be my son.' And they may not have to change the name because he's also Joe McDonald. So just keep the name up there, change the number and the date," Joe said with a laugh. 

The elder McDonald starred as a three-sport athlete for Kingston – football, basketball and track and field. He left a distinguished legacy and earned a spot in the school's hall of fame. He even wound up as a bobsled Olympian. But his greatest joy is watching his son create his own legacy.

“I'll be honest, I didn't believe it," he said while recounting the first time he heard Joey broke his record. "I’m like, 'you jumped 6’4” last year. What do you mean your first meet you jumped 6’10” and broke my record?' So I was completely excited about it.”

Joey hopes to finish track and field season strong, but still has his eyes toward the future. He's deciding what college would be best for him to reach new heights with the sport he loves – and hopefully, end up on that Kingston High School wall.

“I would love to be in a lot of fame one day, right next to my dad," he said. "It's going to be right next to him."