PHILADELPHIA — The legend of Jordan Geist continues to grow.

The Knoch junior looks the part of a character from folklore with short cropped, sandy brown hair, a barrel chest and thick, muscular arms.

His exploits in the shot put read like some sort of tall tale passed down over generations.

Like the time he threw the metal ball clear out of the pit.

Like the time he won the Penn Relays — again — Friday with a record-breaking throw of 73 feet, ¾ inch, which shattered the existing record at the meet.

No, he can’t uproot trees with his bare hands. He can’t lift economy cars over his head, but he can throw a shot put.

Far.

“It was really exciting,” Geist said of his victory and record-breaking throw of a shade over 73 feet.

With between 30 and 35 family members there watching and cheering him on, Geist uncorked his big throw in his second attempt.

He faulted on his next four throws — on purpose.

“My first two throws were over 71 feet so it was definitely a good start,” Geist said. “When you get two good marks, you just start to go for broke.”

Geist did, but knew his throws weren’t as good as his second one, so he faulted on purpose.

“I didn’t want to waste everyone’s time measuring it,” Geist said.

Geist isn’t wasting anyone’s time these days.

Crowds have flocked to see him throw, as they did at the Penn Relays Friday. He said having his family there helped him.

“It definitely boosts the adrenaline,” Geist said. “It comforts me hearing them clapping me up.”

Geist was also motivated by a sub-par effort — for him — last week at the Butler Invitational.

He threw 69 feet, 7½ inches there.

“It helped fuel the fire a little bit,” Geist said.

Judy Geist, Knoch throwing coach and Jordan’s mother, said that effort at Butler was more a result of his fatigue.

Jordan Geist lifted hard the day before the Butler Invitational.

It was rendered moot by his performance Friday.

“We’re very happy,” Judy Geist said. “He did a great job. Luckily, the rain held off. After his second throw, he went after it a little bit.”

Jordan Geist will now shift his sights to the WPIAL qualifiers, WPIAL championships and the PIAA meet this month before the national meet in June.

Geist now has the seventh best all-time throw in the shot put.

The national record is 81-3½.

“I don’t want to say I can do it,” Geist said. “But I don’t want to say I can’t do it, either. I don’t really have a number in mind. I just want to do better each meet.”

It was a big two days for Butler County athletes at the Penn Relays.

Seneca Valley’s Mike Kolor was seventh in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4 minutes, 16.30 seconds.

Kolor said it was only the second time he’s run the event in the last two months.

“I was pretty happy with my time,” Kolor said. “I like where I’m at right now.”

Kolor hasn’t decided which event he will focus on for the individual post season, which begins in earnest in less than two weeks.

He will run the 800 for the first time in two months Tuesday at the WPIAL team semifinals.

Kolor also runs the 3,200.

“Maybe in the next week or two, things will be a little clearer.”

He has one clear goal, however.

“My big goal is a state title,” he said.

On Thursday, Moniteau’s Maura Kimmel placed seventh in the discus.

Kimmel felt right at home at Penn — it is where she will throw in college.

“It was really awesome,” Kimmel said. “Last year, I couldn’t even think about coming to a meet like this.”

Kimmel said she was surprised by how relatively laid back the Penn Relays were.

“I thought I’d be scared,” Kimmel said. “I was a lot more relaxed than I thought I would be. It was just another invitational.

“I was definitely happy with what I threw,” Kimmel added. “What I threw there was the exact same as what I threw Wednesday’s meet, which was kind of weird. I know I have more in there. I can’t wait to see how much more.”