When his throw landed, and the distance was measured, another entry was added under Kemal Mesic’s name in the Florida track and field record books.
Mesic, a senior thrower and current indoor Southeastern Conference champion, set a new Birmingham Crossplex and school record for distance in shot put at last week’s Alabama Invitational, the team’s first meet of the season.
The five-time All-American broke his old university record of 19.53m/64-1 with an NCAA qualifying mark of 19.95m/65-05.50. Mesic’s throw was almost three meters longer than his closest competitor and helped him earn SEC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors.
“It feels great. It shows that you trained hard successfully over the past fall,” Mesic said. “So everything comes together and you are happy, of course.”
The 6-foot-6, 275-pound Mesic is a native of Sarajevo, Bosnia, where he was active in track and field for six years before college. He has been competing for UF since 2008.
An unlikely Florida transplant, Mesic, 26, said that the number of participants in track and field in his home country is growing, despite still recovering from the destruction caused by the Bosnian War.
“Here in the United States, you have a lot more opportunities to be good, to be better, and to be the best,” he said. “Most people over there don’t have the opportunities that kids have here in the United States, I’m really blessed to be here.”
Mesic said he was grateful for the opportunities that the Florida track and field program has provided him.
He attributes part of his success to his pregame ritual of heavy concentration and listening to music from his home country. Before he steps into the circle to throw the 16-pound shot, Mesic concentrates solely on the task at hand and visualizes his goal.
After competing in track and field on the collegiate level, Mesic has plans to be an Olympian, continuing to train hard so he can represent Bosnia in the future.
Mesic, despite his personal accomplishments, said he enjoys being part of a team and competing for his university.
While Mesic won’t be in action this Sunday when Florida hits James G. Pressly Stadium for the Gator Invite, he had a message for his competitors.
“It was good to put the (record-setting) mark out there, so the other guys, who are training hard too, can see that I am ready and that they have to be a little bit scared of the Gators,” he said. “We’re going to come for them.”
