Who is Keshorn Walcott? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Keshie Walcott

Age: 31 Years, 31 Year Old Males

Family:

father: Endy King

mother: Beverly Walcott

siblings: Elton Walcott

Born Country: Trinidad And Tobago

Athletes Black Athletes

Height: 6'0" (183 cm), 6'0" Males

Grouping of People: Black Athletes

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Childhood & Early Life

Keshorn "Keshie" Walcott was born on April 2, 1993. He spent his youth in Toco, Trinidad & Tobago. He is the youngest of three children born to Endy King and Beverly Walcott. His older brother Elton was also athletically gifted.

Toco was a rural fishing village, so Keshorn did not have the luxury of many sports facilities. He didn't pick up a Javelin until he was 15.

Keshorn Walcott was a fast learner. In April 2009, he became the Caribbean Youth U-17 Javelin champion. He was just 16 at the time.

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CareerIn 2010, he began throwing the standard 800 gram javelin. From 2010 to 2012 he won the U-20 Caribbean Junior Javelin throw three times at the CARIFTA (Caribbean Free Trade Association) Games.

His 2012 CARIFTA performance set a new record for the NACAC North, Central American and Caribbean junior record. His record throw of 77.59 meters in the 2012 CARIFTA juniors was an icing on cake in his undefeated junior career. In the same year he broke the 80 m mark for the first time.

Also in 2012 he broke the Trinidad national javelin record, which was set at 78.06 m by Kurt Thompson in 1996. Keshorn Walcott set a new record with a throw of 78.94 meters.

The crown jewel of the 2012 season was Walcott's performance at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He was somewhat of an underdog, as the field contained former champions and a couple of throwers who have hit 90 meters.

To complicate matters conditions were extremely windy. This made Walcott's performance all the more impressive. Not only did he succeed in the wind, but his first throw was his personal best. He won the Olympic gold medal with a throw of 84.58 meters.

Walcott was treated like royalty when he returned home to Trinidad and Tobago. He was given a plot of land in his home village of Toco. He was also given a stunning luxury home in the Port of Spain. His cash rewards totaled $150,000.

Walcott's 2013 season didn't go as planned. He was held back by injuries for a lot of the season. Still, he excelled when he was able to compete..

In 2014, he came back healthy after resting his ankle. His main goal for the year was winning the 2014 Commonwealth games. He spent six weeks at a training camp in Cuba. He was coached by Ismael Lopez Mastrapa, who has been his coach since 2009.

His toss of 85.28 meters in the qualifying round of the 2014 Commonwealth games was a new personal best. He went on to finish in second place.

His current personal best of 85.77 meters was set in the final meeting of the 2014 IAAF Diamond League.

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Awards & Achievements

He won gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics with a throw of 84.58 meters.

Personal Life & Legacy

After winning the 2012 Olympic Gold medal in the Javelin ,the Toco lighthouse and a secondary school in Toco were renamed after him.

He is the first black athlete to win a gold medal in a throwing event at the Olympics.

Trivia

He was the youngest competitor ever to win an Olympic gold in the javelin throw.

Keshorn Walcott Biography