Keshun McGee: 20/20 vision

Sophomore+Keshun+McGee+jumps+during+the+2017+outdoor+season.+McGee+has+aspirations+to+compete+in+the+2020+Summer+Olympics+%7C+Photo+courtesy+of+EWU+Athletics

Sophomore Keshun McGee jumps during the 2017 outdoor season. McGee has aspirations to compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics | Photo courtesy of EWU Athletics

By Taylor Newquist, Contributor
February 8, 2018

Sophomore jumper Keshun McGee is the focal point of the EWU track team. McGee’s 51–4 1/2 foot mark in the triple jump at the UW Invitational on Jan. 26 is No. 22 in the nation, and the second-best in EWU history. He plans to go further than the Eastern record books, with the Olympic Games on his mind.

“I believe the sky is the limit,” said McGee. “As long as I keep getting better, progressing, getting stronger and staying healthy, there is nothing I can’t do. Once 2020 comes I believe I can make the Summer Olympics.”

McGee was born in Chicago, Illinois, and moved to Bremerton where he attended Olympic High School. In high school McGee was a multi-sport athlete, but mostly focused on football.

“I didn’t start track until my freshman year, then took a year off for basketball and I started again my junior year,” said McGee. From then on I’ve just been progressing [every] year.”

McGee is the WIAA 2A long jump record holder and competed in the Junior Olympics in 2015 and 2016.

Sophomore Keshun McGee prepares to jump at a home meet last season. McGee recently set the second-longest triple jump mark in EWU history | Photo courtesy of EWU Athletics

“It was an amazing experience to compete all around the world,” said McGee. “I went to Florida for my first year. It was hot. I placed fourth in the triple jump and third in the long jump that year. It gives me great confidence to know I can come out and compete against the best.”

McGee came to EWU as a natural athlete, and with a mindset to improve. Last year, he won the Big Sky Freshman of the Year award.

“I knew I could jump and I knew I could sprint, so I was in between with both,” said McGee. “I didn’t start focusing on jumping specifically until I got here […] Once you understand how to do it you become better and start attacking different ways on how to get better […] If they are better than me, I’m not far from where they are.”

This season, McGee aims to get personal bests. He believes that he can jump 53 feet this year.

“I need results and I would love to get to the NCAA national championships,” said McGee.

McGee estimates that he will need to have a jump of 52-2 feet to qualify for the NCAA national championships.  

McGee will have a chance to leap the standings when the track team travels to Seattle to compete in the University of Washington Husky Classic this weekend.