The Bowerman Finalists 2021
JUVAUGHAN HARRISON
COLE HOCKER
TURNER WASHINGTON
LSU Harrison, who hails from Huntsville, Alabama, proved himself worthy of the nickname “Mr. Jumps.” Not only did Harrison become the first athlete in NCAA DI history to win both the high jump and long jump in the same year at the NCAA Indoor Championships, but he also doubled back to complete the sweep once again at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, giving him four NCAA titles in 2021. Harrison wrote his name all over the all-time collegiate charts, equaling the second-best clearance in the outdoor high jump at 2.36m (7-8¾) as part of a perfect 7-for-7 effort at the SEC Outdoor Championships and moving up to No. 3 in the indoor long jump at 8.45m (27-8¾) and No. 6 in the outdoor long jump at 8.44m (27-8¼). That mark in the indoor long jump occurred during his winning series at the NCAA Indoor Championships, where Harrison conquered the strongest field in meet history (It was the only final with four men over 8.10m (26-7), besting the previous best of three from 1993).
OREGON Hocker, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, starred in mid-distance and distance events throughout the collegiate track & field cycle. He won three NCAA titles – becoming just the third man in NCAA DI history to sweep the mile and 3000 at the NCAA Indoor Championships and add the 1500 crown outdoors, joining Marty Liquori of Villanova and Joe Falcon of Arkansas – and finished fourth in the outdoor 5000 after doubling back from the 1500 less than two hours earlier. Hocker sizzled the track in each of those title-winning races, setting a meet record in the indoor mile at 3:53.71 and barely missing meet records in both the indoor 3000 and outdoor 1500 by a total of 0.26 seconds. Earlier in the year, Hocker clocked the second-fastest mile in collegiate indoor history (3:50.55) and moved up to No. 8 on the all-time world chart in that event, in addition to helping Oregon set an all-time world best in the DMR with a blistering 2:49.89 opening split for 1200 meters.
ARIZONA STATE Washington, from Tucson, Arizona, became just the third man in NCAA DI history to sweep the indoor and outdoor shot-put titles and add a discus crown all in the same year (John Godina of UCLA and 2010 The Bowerman finalist Ryan Whiting of Arizona State are the others). In a word, though, Washington was dominant in 2021. Washington ended the year with eight of the top-10 seasonal marks in the discus, seven of the top-10 seasonal marks in the outdoor shot put and four of the top-10 seasonal marks in the indoor shot put, including the collegiate record of 21.85m (71-8¼). Don’t forget that Washington also hit a huge mark of 66.26m (217-5) in the discus, which made him the No. 7 performer in collegiate history. That allowed Washington to be the only man in collegiate history with current all-time top-10 efforts in both the discus and any shot put.
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techniques NOVEMBER 2021
