Son of former USA Olympians sets national record at AAU Junior Olympic Games

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Whoever coined the phrase "good things come in small packages" never met Jackson Cantwell.

The 6-foot-4, 206-pound native of Missouri — the son of former Team USA Olympians — devoured his competition at this week's AAU National Junior Olympics Track & Field event much like he manhandles those foot-long steak and cheese subs he often craves.

The 12-year-old soon-to-be seventh-grader won his first AAU discus national title on Wednesday by nearly 32 feet, throwing a personal-best 40.01 meters (131-03 feet). 

Saturday morning he was back at the Satellite High complex, tossing a 6-pound shot 17.26 meters (56-07.50 feet) to set a national age-group record. It was his third straight national title, and fourth in five years, dating back to the 8-under class.

"It felt great," said the mild-mannered Jackson, who won by more than 13 feet and who opened the day by throwing 55-05.50, about 10 feet better than his personal best, set last year. "Going through puberty, especially, the (distances) are going to go up. But I am getting stronger."

If the Cantwell name sounds familiar in the sport, it is.

Jackson's dad, Christian, a five-time world champion, won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and in 2004 had the top four shot put throws in the world.

His wife, Teri (Steer), participated in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. She was a two-time NCAA shot put champion at SMU but could not make this trip, staying home to provide medicine for their 17-year-old dachshund, Ali, who has Alzheimer's.

Jackson said the pressure of being in an Olympic family doesn't get to him.

"Not really ... I don't think about much when I'm out there, just winning the meet," he said.

As far as which parent is his best coach?

"That's a really good question," he said. "Both got me the same results so far, so I don't know. ... Dad's just harder on me, I guess."

Christian, 39, said his "playing weight" back in his prime was between 300 and 350 pounds on his 6-5 frame. Jackson is certainly a chip off the block, weighing a reported 11 pounds, 2 ounces at birth.

And he loves to eat.

"Right now, I guess you'd call it a semi-normal diet," Christian said. "Well for some, maybe. He starts his day with like 10 eggs in the morning ... and likes a pound of ribeye every night. ... Last night, he only had a 6-ounce steak, but he did have two foot-longs earlier in the day.

"Seems like every 10 minutes he's eating. It's breaking us," his father joked. "I told him he's going to (eventually) have to do what I did ... steak and rice, or chicken and rice, and other combinations like that." 

 Jackson, no doubt, has gotten muscular. The kid who can nearly dunk a basketball, and who likes playing football and baseball back home in Nixa, Missouri, can bench press 210 pounds.

"He'll never catch his dad," laughed Christian, who still holds the Missouri Tigers record with a 641-pound press. "Now, he might catch his mom, though."

And it'll take a while for Jackson to even come close to his dad's accomplishment.

The seven-time NCAA All-American, who first went to Missouri on basically a $400 scholarship, has a personal-best mark of 22.54 meters, or 73-11½, in the shot put. In 2018, he was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

While on the East Coast of Florida at the AAU Games, Jackson didn't have too much free time, although he went parasailing — dad stayed grounded — at Port Canaveral on Friday.

"It was nice," Jackson said. "Perfectly safe. Saw a lot of water."

"We flew in late Monday, had to check in early Tuesday, practice, get ready for Wednesday morning ... usually we treat these like business trips," his dad said.

During the opening day of the discus competition, Jackson was on target to set a national record in that event as well. But a thunderstorm in the middle of his performance delayed the meet, and conditions never were the same, especially trying to get a feel for the moist concrete under his feet.

"I think he would have done it," Christian said. "He was warning up at 140. But his 131 is still a great throw and he's OK with it.

"Today, he was warming up (in the shot put) throwing 59 (feet). I don't think he was too surprised at getting the record."

"I'm getting there," said Jackson, who a year ago waited until his final throw to clinch the national shot put title with a personal-best throw of 45-2.25.

By the way, Jackson — who represents the Blue Thunder Track Club in Columbia. Mo., — still holds the 8-under AAU national record in the javelin, a sport he's left behind.

Jackson was born just a few months before his dad claimed the silver medal in Beijing.

He did get to see the 2012 Games in London. Well, practically, anyway.

"It's the first night, and you know how electrifying the first night of the Olympics is with everything going on," Christian said. "The shot put finals are always on that first night. But he slept on his mom's lap the whole night."

Maybe it was a good thing. Christian lost a chance at a second medal by just a centimeter.

"It still hurts," he said, jokingly.

This week, his son's performances soothed his soul.

"He had a good meet," Christian said. "Hopefully, by next year, our country will all be better off (if the COVID-19 pandemic ends) when they come up with a vaccine. And we'll all be back together, but with a lot more fireworks."

And, of course, a lot more steak.