Kentucky track and field’s Keaton Daniel soars to new heights

By Cole Parke sports@kykernel.com

Keaton Daniel made his way into the headlines this past season of track and field when he managed to break a school record, that he himself had set, on the pole vault during the the McCravy Memorial meet in January 2023.

Then, just within that same month, Daniel did it again, re-breaking the record in the Razorback Invitational in Arkansas.

While the accomplishments placed him in the spotlight, Daniel emphasized that breaking records is not what motivates him to continue to improve, rather, he just wants to improve himself every day.

“I try not to think about the records,” Daniel said. “I’ve been trying to shift my mindset and improve myself. Whenever you get caught up in the competition or what they’re jumping, that’s something you can’t control. Something I can control is aspiring to be the best athlete I can be. If you’re constantly doing it for the gratification of wins you’re going to (burn) out because during off-season training (the wins) aren’t there. I think rather than loving winning, learning to love what you’re doing is key.”

That mentality plays into Daniel’s motto that he takes with him into competitions: “control the controllables.”

“You wake up and it’s, ‘What can I control today? What can I not?’” he said. “Those things that you can control, do to your 100%. Knowing that you’re putting your full effort and not half-assing things. If I’m going to do something I’m going to do it to my full extent and I think that’s a big part of pushing my - self to be the best. It’s not about getting first or second or nationals, it’s ultimately about where I am trying to go with this and what type of person I’m trying to be.”

Daniel expressed an appreciation for the culture surrounding track and field, saying that the athletes he encounters at meets aren’t necessarily trying to defeat their opponents, they’re just trying to be the best versions of themselves.

“It’s probably one of the best things about track,” he said. “(I was talking to) one of my friends — he’s from Arkansas — and I’m actually coaching him because his coach is busy. He went and jumped a PR (personal record) which is cool, I’m not going to take credit for it, but it’s cool seeing your friends succeed. It’s not like, ‘Ah, I knocked you down so you didn’t jump well and I beat you,’ no, we both jumped well and whoever came out on top, you went to the top.”