AUBURN, Ala. – Following an impressive start to his freshman season, javelin thrower Keyshawn Strachan was named to The Bowerman watch list, announced Thursday by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The Bowerman Award is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the nation's top male and female student-athlete.
In his collegiate debut, Strachan threw 84.27m/276-5 for a new lifetime best in the men's javelin at the 2023 Texas Relays. The 19-year-old threw the world and NCAA leading mark by over ten meters on his second attempt. His mark from Austin surpassed Cade Antonucci's school record of 76.14m/249-10 and Justin Carter's freshman record of 73.03/239-7 with ease. He etched his name in the history books as the fourth farthest throw in NCAA history just behind Patrick Boden (89.10m/292-4), Ioannis "John" Kyriazis (888.01m/288-9) and Anderson Peters (86.62m/284-2).
Strachan continued his winning record, claiming the top spot in the men's javelin at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational with his throw of 76.97m/252-6. He also posted a mark of 76.96m and bested the field by 20 feet. The Bahamian threw for the second and third best marks in school history behind his school record of 84.27m set three weeks ago at the Texas Relays.
His stellar performance has earned him SEC Men's Field Athlete of the Week and SEC Men's Freshman of the Week, two SEC weekly honors in as many meets.
A native of the Bahamas, Strachan arrived on The Plains with a NACAC U23 Championship silver medal and World U20 Championship bronze medal already to his name.
Strachan joins nine other athletes, five from the SEC, on the watch list. This list includes Mykolas Alekna (California), Drew Bosley (Northern Arizona), Kyle Garland (Georgia), Elija Godwin (Georgia), Sondre Guttormsen (Princeton), Jaydon Hibbert (Arkansas), Dylan Jacobs (Tennessee), Terrence Jones (Texas Tech), and Ayden Owens-Delerme (Arkansas).