The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

COACH Corrington Maycock knew that it was just a matter of time before his Blue Chips Athletics’ strongman Keyshawn Strachan broke the 70 metre barrier in the men’s javelin.

On day one of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Track and Field Championships Friday night at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, Strachan not only achieved that feat, but he also shattered the Bahamian national record in the process.

The 17-year-old used his 6-foot, 5-inch frame to toss the spear 71.62m or 234-feet, 11-inches to erase the previous national record of 70.72m (234-0) by Denzel Pratt at the Big South Championships in Charleston, South Carolina on May 12, 2017.

“It was a good meet. I PB (did personal best) four times, so I’m proud of my performance,” said Strachan, who is going into grade 12 at St John’s College.

“Every morning when I wake up, I start my day telling myself, I have to get 70m. I thank God for allowing me to come out here and do what I had to do.”

While his winning toss came on his sixth and final attempt, Strachan had a series of throws that included 70.25m (230-5) and 67.80m (222-5) before he closed out the first half of the competition with 70.02m (229-8).

After a brief rain delay, Strachan came back and skipped his fourth throw. He then heaved the javelin 70.55m (231-5) on the fifth as technical director Stephanie Rahming-Taylor had to be called in to verify the throws. She had to come back again in the sixth to verify the national record.

The performances enabled Strachan to surpass the qualifying standard of 69.50m (228-0) for the World Athletics’ World Under-20 Championships, scheduled for August 17-22 in Nairobi, Kenya, where he aims to improve on his new record.

“I worked pretty hard for this. I waited a whole year for it and it finally came,” said Strachan, who feels he has a throw of at least 74m (242-9) in his arm. “I want to thank my coach, my family and my supporters. I really appreciate them. Without God, none of this would have been possible.”

Coach Maycock, who has been working with Strachan since he was 13, said this is just a tip of the iceberg.

“Seeing the type of talent that he had, it’s just a dream come true for him and a dream come true for me as a coach,” said Maycock, a former CARIFTA thrower, who came up under the coaching ranks of Ronald Cartwright.

“You always want your athlete to attain the highest level of competition. Doing it at the age of 17, the sky’s the limit for him.”

Strachan will also be going to the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Under-23 Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, July 9-11. It will just be a precursor for the World Juniors for Strachan.

“We are working towards that and then we will start peaking towards the World Under-20,” Maycock said. “The goal this year is 74m (242-9) and he might just go over that.”

For now, Strachan is just basking in his glory as the new national javelin record holder.