Keshorn Walcott conquers world as youngest T&T javelin gold medalist
Key Points(5)
- Keshorn Walcott created history at the 2012 <a href="https://olympics.com/en/">London Olympic Games</a> when he won the javelin throw with 84.58m while still a teenager.
- The Trinidadian thus became the first Caribbean male athlete, as well as the first of African descent to win the gold medal in a throwing event in the history of the Olympic Games.
- Born the third child of Beverly Walcott and Endy King, Walcott grew up playing football and cricket, striving to keep up with his athletically talented older brother Elton.
- He was raised in the fishing village of Toco, in north-east Trinidad.
- He did not take up the javelin until the age of 15, but found immediate success.
Keshorn Walcott created history at the 2012 London Olympic Games when he won the javelin throw with 84.58m while still a teenager.
The Trinidadian thus became the first Caribbean male athlete, as well as the first of African descent to win the gold medal in a throwing event in the history of the Olympic Games.
Born the third child of Beverly Walcott and Endy King, Walcott grew up playing football and cricket, striving to keep up with his athletically talented older brother Elton. He was raised in the fishing village of Toco, in north-east Trinidad. He did not take up the javelin until the age of 15, but found immediate success. By April 2009, one week after his 16th birthday, he was the Caribbean youth (under-17) champion.
He was the youngest at 19 years and 131 days old to win the gold medal, and also the first to athlete in any track and field event to claim World Junior and Olympic Games titles in an individual event the same year.
On his return to Trinidad and Tobago after his Olympic Games exploits, Walcott had a lighthouse situated in the northeast region of Trinidad, and a high school in Toco, named after him.
At his second Olympic Games four years later in Rio, Walcott won the bronze with a throw of 85.38m.
The 29-year-old Keshorn Walcott also won the gold medal at the 2015 Pan-American Games 2015, and a silver medal at the 2014 British Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014.
