BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Mississippi State track and field’s freshman javelin thrower, DJ Jónsson, has been named the Southeastern Conference men’s freshman field athlete of the year, the league announced Wednesday.
Jónsson, a native of Reykjavík, Iceland, has taken the SEC by storm since he set foot on the Mississippi State campus.
He threw himself into the top three javelin throwers of the SEC and the collegiate field in the first week of outdoor competition at MSU’s own Al Schmidt Bulldog Relays. He remained there until he took over as NCAA leader in the eighth week of competition at the SEC championships with a mark at 78.66m to become the SEC Champion. He earned first team all-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team honors to boot after earning SEC freshman field athlete of the week twice during the regular season.
He threw the fourth-furthest throw ever at an NCAA Prelim meet per USTFCCCA with his 78.51m heave that placed him in second. He was also second overall from both the East and West prelims, behind only MSU’s own Sindri Guðmundsson who threw the new NCAA-leading 79.84m mark.
Heading into the NCAA Championships, Jónsson has not placed outside the top-three finishers at any meet this season. He was third at the Bulldog Relays, first at the Florida Relays, War Eagle Invitational, and the SEC Outdoor Championships, and second at the NCAA East Prelims. He looks to continue that streak in Eugene, Oregon.
Jónsson and the Bulldogs will compete at the NCAA Championships from June 9-12 at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon. He along with Guðmundsson and Tyriq Horsford will compete on June 9 starting at 8:15 p.m.
2021 SEC Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Awards
Runner of the Year: Terrance Laird, LSU
Field Athlete of the Year: JuVaughn Harrison, LSU
Newcomer Runner of the Year: Matthew Boling, Georgia
Co-Newcomer Field Athlete of the Year: Tzuriel Pedigo, LSU
Co-Newcomer Field Athlete of the Year: Joseph Palmer, Kentucky
Co-Newcomer Field Athlete of the Year: Mitch Weber, Missouri
Freshman Runner of the Year: Eliud Kipsang, Alabama
Freshman Field Athlete of the Year: Dagbjartur “DJ” Jónsson, Mississippi State
Coach of the Year: Chris Bucknam, Arkansas
2021 SEC Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Awards
Runner of the Year: Tamara Clark, Alabama
Field Athlete of the Year: Tyra Gittens, Texas A&M
Co-Newcomer Runner of the Year: Amaris Tyynismaa, Alabama
Co-Newcomer Runner of the Year: Grace Stark, Florida
Newcomer Field Athlete of the Year: Jasmine Moore, Georgia
Freshman Runner of the Year: Athing Mu, Texas A&M
Freshman Field Athlete of the Year: Claire Bryant, Florida
Coach of the Year: Lance Harter, Arkansas
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