AUSTIN -- Baptiste Kerjean is making quite a name for himself in his first season of track and field competition at Abilene Christian University.
The newcomer from St. Brieuc, France, turned in the two longest throws of his career at the 85th annual Texas Relays Thursday afternoon to finish third in the men's university-college hammer throw at Myers Stadium. His mark of 207 feet, 5 inches, trailed only the 217-3 of Jeremy Postin of Florida and the 213-6 of Nick Miller, an Oklahoma State international student competing here unattached.
Kerjean opened with the first 200-foot throw of his career, 205-1 (62.52 meters), and stood in second place behind Postin, the Gator junior, after the preliminary throws. The Wildcat junior, relatively small for an elite thrower at 6-0, 190 pounds, improved to 207-5 in the finals, but he was passed by Miller in the sixth round. Kerjean came in with a best of 199-2 (60.70) from last week at Texas-Arlington.
"I'm really happy," the 21-year-old Kerjean said. "My first throw didn't feel like 62 (meters). It felt so easy it was difficult for me to stay focused after that. My second, third and fourth throws were bad -- bad technique. On my fifth throw I just wanted to go out there and throw and not think about it. It was very good competition today with good conditions."
Kerjean threw 197-10 in the second round, then fouled on his third and fourth attempts before unleashing the 207-5 in round five. He also fouled in the sixth round.
Kerjean became only the third Wildcat to register more than 200 feet in the hammer throw. He now trails only Glenn Griffin (209-2) and Cliff Felkins (208-4) on the ACU all-time list of performers in the hammer throw. He also moved into second on the 2012 list of hammer throwers in NCAA Division II behind the defending national champion.
Kerjean opened Abilene Christian's showing at the 2012 Texas Relays as the only Wildcat to compete here on the second day of the four-day meet that has attracted more than 6,000 high school, college and professional athletes.
