Craig Kinsley (born January 19, 1989) is a retired
American track and field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...
athlete and 2012 Olympian who competed in the
javelin throw
The javelin throw is a track and field event where the javelin, a spear about in length, is thrown. The javelin thrower gains momentum by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's decathlon and the wom ...
, and is now an assistant coach of
Brown University track and field. In 2010, he won the javelin at the
NCAA Outdoor Championships and was named as an
Academic All-American by the
USATFCCCA. He also placed third at the
US National Championships that year. In 2012, he placed third at the Olympic Trials and qualified to represent the
United States at the 2012 Summer Olympics
The United States of America, represented by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from July 27 to August 12, 2012. U.S. athletes have competed at every Summer Olympic Games in the modern era, ...
.
Early life
Craig Kinsley was born January 19, 1989, to parents Tom and Andrea.
He began competing in
track and field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...
after a broken hand prevented him from playing baseball his junior year of high school.
At first, he ran the
hurdles
Hurdling is the act of jumping over an obstacle at a high speed or in a sprint. In the early 19th century, hurdlers ran at and jumped over each hurdle (sometimes known as 'burgles'), landing on both feet and checking their forward motion. Today, ...
and did the
high jump. After his hand had healed sufficiently, he added the
javelin, throwing with a cast on his hand.
During high school, Kinsley was named all-state in the
decathlon, high jump, and javelin throw.
He graduated from
Fairfield College Preparatory School
Fairfield College Preparatory School (Fairfield Prep) is a Jesuit preparatory school located on the campus of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. It is an all-male school of about 700 students, founded by the Society of Jesus in 1 ...
in 2007 and was accepted into
Brown University where he studied
geology
Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ea ...
and
economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analyzes ...
.
Athletic career
At Brown, Kinsley competed in both the high jump and javelin throw.
He was a four-time
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising eight private research universities in the Northeastern United States. The term ''Ivy League'' is typically used beyond the sports context to refer to the eight school ...
Champion and three-time
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
n. He finished third in the javelin at the 2009
NCAA Outdoor Championships. In 2010, Kinsley won the NCAA title in javelin. His mark of was more than eight feet better than the second-place finisher.
In so doing, Kinsley became just the third individual track and field champion in the school's history.
That same year, he finished third at the
National Championships
A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best team, indi ...
with a distance of . Additionally, he was named an Academic
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
n and Northeast Region Field Athlete of the Year by the
USATFCCCA.
Kinsley was injured in 2011 and unable to defend his title as a result.
After graduating that spring with degrees in geology and economics, he decided to commit himself solely to the javelin and put everything else on hold.
He found the cheapest apartment he could and focused his economic resources on training needs.
He continued to train at the Brown facilities in
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts ...
, where he was a volunteer assistant coach.
At the June
2012 Olympic Trials, Kinsley finished third with a distance of .
Earlier that month, he achieved the
Olympic "A" Standard with a new personal best of .
The distance made him eligible for the
2012 Summer Olympics and ranked him in the top 20 worldwide for the first time in his career.
"For about 90 percent of the victory lap, I was bawling in front of 30,000 people," Kinsley said of making the Olympic team. "I don't know if I can think of a person who'd be more proud to wear red, white and blue."
The 2012 Olympics was Kinsley's first international competition.
"I'm a total nobody on the international scene, which is awesome because I go in with very little pressure," he remarked. "I go in healthy and throwing the best I've ever thrown. I feel I have some big throws, so I'm ready to surprise people."
On August 8, 2012, Kinsley made his Olympic debut in the Qualification round of the Men's Javelin Throw. On his third and final throw of the day he was marked at 78.18 meters, placing him 10th in Group B and 23rd overall. Although the throw was the longest of any American, Kinsley did not advance to the next round of the competition.
He was joined in London by his parents, girlfriend, coach, and two old friends.
Kinsley was coached by Michelle Eisenreich and sponsored by
US Athletic Trust.
He describes throwing the javelin as "an incredibly lonely pursuit ... You're training for hours, by yourself. You're putting your body through a lot of stress ... It takes a lot to dedication to do something nobody thinks is cool unless you make the Olympic team."
Coaching career
Kinsley returned to his alma mater
Brown University to coach the throwing events in 2016. Since then, his athletes have accumulated many notable accolades: three conference champions, nine top-six finishers in the conference championships, a new school record holder in the hammer throw and the weight throw, and seven additions/improvements in the top 10 all time school records. He is currently working to build an elite javelin squad and aspires to produce an NCAA champion and an Olympic qualifying athlete in the near future.
Personal life
Kinsley currently resides in
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 75,604 at the 2020 census, making the city the fourth-largest in the state. Pawtucket borders Providence and East Providence to the south, Central Fal ...
.
He is happily married to adventure photographer Kat Carney.
Seasonal bests by year
*2009 - 73.62
*2010 - 78.10
*2011 - 76.33
*2012 - 82.31
*2013 - 74.75
*2014 - 81.35
*2015 - 77.85
Competition record
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinsley, Craig
1989 births
Living people
American male javelin throwers
Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Brown Bears men's track and field athletes
Olympic track and field athletes of the United States
Sportspeople from Fairfield, Connecticut
Place of birth missing (living people)
Fairfield College Preparatory School alumni