Kyriazis Made Point With Javelin In 2017

Celebrating A Century of NCAA Track & Field Championships

Kyriazis Made Point With Javelin In 2017

June 7, 2017

Like the implement he threw, Ioannis Kyriazis of Texas A&M made a point in 2017: If you want to talk about the greatest javelin throwers in collegiate history, his name better be in that conversation. 

Truth be told, Kyriazis did that on his first-and-only attempt at the 90th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays that year when he launched the javelin 88.01m (288-9) for the second best mark in collegiate history behind Patrik Boden’s former world record of 89.10m (292-4).

Fast forward a few months and Kyriazis entered the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Historic Hayward Field the prohibitive favorite. Not only that, but the 19-year-old meet record held by Esko Mikkola of Arizona at 81.86m (268-7) was in danger, too.

It didn’t take long for Kyriazis to crush the meet record and take command of the leaderboard. His second attempt sailed 82.58m (270-11), adding more than two feet to all-time meet best and trumping eventual runner-up Nicolas Quijera of Mississippi State by 19 feet (5.81m).

There are four instances of athletes winning by more than 19 feet since the NCAA moved to the new men’s javelin in 1986. Three of them were turned in by men who hold the top three spots in the collegiate record book: Boden (1991), Kyriazis (2017) and Anderson Peters (2019).

posted: January 24, 2021
1921-2021
The NCAA's First Championships

The NCAA and collegiate track & field will mark a momentous milestone in the spring of 2021 -- the 100th anniversary of the NCAA Championships and with that, the NCAA Track & Field Championships. In June 1921, the University of Chicago hosted the first track & field championships in NCAA history.

This point can’t be emphasized enough: Not only was the event the first for NCAA track & field, but the first championships for any sport under the sponsorship of the NCAA.

To celebrate, over each of the next 365 days, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) will celebrate moments, student-athletes, and coaches that have made a century’s worth of championships special. From humble beginnings to important historical milestones to the modern-day, collegiate track & field has evolved with the American society.

The 2021 edition of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships begin with preliminary round action on May 27-29 in Jacksonville, Fla., and College Station, Texas. The championships final site and culmination of the celebration is slated for June 9-12, 2021 at the newly rebuilt Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Memorable Moments
Plab Reached Lofty Heights In NCAA HJ

Darrin Plab won back-to-back HJ titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 1991 & 1992. Plab cleared 2.34m (7-8) in 1992 & tied the 2nd best bar in meet history.

Peoples Made History One Lap At A Time

Maurice Peoples won the 440-yard dash in 1973 & then really turned up the heat. Peoples split 43.4 on the Sun Devils’ mile relay team that finished third in the final.

KU’s Lokedi Set 10K MR In 2018

Sharon Lokedi won the 10K at the 2018 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in a meet-record 32:09.20. Lokedi led five other women under the old final-site best, too.

Can Ereng Kick It? Yes, He Can!

Paul Ereng won back-to-back 800-meter titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 1988 & 1989. Ereng is still the current indoor record holder in the event.

Dwight Stones Set High Jump WR In 1976

Dwight Stones set a world record in the high jump of 2.31m (7-7) at the 1976 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. Stones also raised the MR by more than 3 inches!