Rochester Century’s Joshua Kyei-Baffour, the 2025 All-Minnesota Athlete of the Year in boys track and field, set new state record in the 110-meter hurdles this season. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Ask Joshua Kyei-Baffour two years ago, and he would have told you he was a soccer player.

And he is — a good one, at that.

The 6-3 Rochester Century senior was a shutdown centerback for the Panthers and Twin Cities club soccer teams. Track, specifically the hurdles, was something he did to stay in shape for playing soccer at the next level.

Century track and field head coach Eric Gahr recalled the start of Kyei-Baffour’s junior track season, when the hurdler didn’t show up to the spring’s first practice.

“I was planning on quitting track,” Kyei-Baffour said. “My life was basically soccer all the time.”

For more on Kyei-Baffour, click here to read this story on startribune.com.