One year removed from his Olympic appearance in Tokyo, former Northwest men’s basketball standout Shelby McEwen is once again in the spotlight.
McEwen competed in the 2022 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore. over the weekend, the same site where he qualified for the U.S. National Team last summer. This year, the Abbeville native came home a winner, earning a jump of 2.33 meters to claim the national title.
McEwen was known for his electrifying dunks during his time at Northwest from 2015-17. Coached by Bubba Skelton and Shane Oakley, McEwen continued to compete unattached in track and field events during the offseason, earning the eye of the University of Alabama, which offered him a scholarship.
From there, McEwen’s track and field career continued to rise. After competing in various SEC and NCAA meets, he finished seventh in the 2019 World Outdoor Championships, which later helped pave the way for his bid into the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials.
McEwen finished third in the trials to earn a bid to Tokyo, but finished 12th in the finals. Despite his finish, he was one of only two Americans to compete in the Olympic high jump finals, joining SEC counterpart JuVaughn Harrison (LSU).
