Johnnie Jackson

Biography

Johnnie Jackson Jr. has established himself as both an elite competitor and rising coach in the throwing events, bringing high-level experience to East Carolina after success on the national and collegiate stages. Following his collegiate career, Jackson continued to compete in the hammer throw at the highest level, qualifying for the finals of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials where he placed 10th overall, and later earning a spot in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. He has been a consistent competitor at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships and improved his personal best from 71.72 meters to 74.03 meters during his post-collegiate career. His success began shortly after college when he earned a silver medal at the 2017 USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships in Sacramento. Prior to joining ECU, Jackson served as a volunteer assistant at University of Alabama athletics under throws coach Derek Yush from 2019 to 2025. During his tenure, he played a key role in developing one of the nation’s top throws groups, assisting in the progression of NCAA National Champion Bobby Colantonio in the weight throw, while also helping produce multiple All-Americans and SEC Champions, including Colantonio, Trenese Hamilton, and Isaac Odugbesan. As a student-athlete at LSU Track & Field, Jackson was one of the most accomplished throwers in program history. He captured the NCAA Indoor Championship in the weight throw in 2017, becoming just the second Tiger to win the event alongside Walter Hennin