Bautista Samperi | Sports Director
Cole Crkvenac’s journey at FIU has been full of ups and downs. From learning the sport in high school, to becoming a part of the Panthers, to battling injuries, his story is one of triumphs and challenges. But through it all, he has remained strong as he continues to chase his goals.
Many college athletes grow up practicing a certain sport, but not Cole. His love for Javelin throwing came later in life. Being raised in a primary baseball family, Cole has always had a strong arm, so when his high school track coach called him about a new discipline, Cole decided to give the spear a chance.
“I was just on the beach with friends when my coach called me about the new field team,” Cole recalls. “I had no idea what javelin was, but I looked it up and thought, ‘Why not?’ I was running cross country at the time, so it felt like two birds, one stone.”
Despite taking on the sport later in life, Cole adapted quickly and did not disappoint. He won two consecutive state championships at New Smyrna Beach High School.
After, it was time for college. From the beginning Cole knew that FIU was the place for him. “During my visit, the team had a cookout, and everyone was just hanging out, supporting each other,” he said. “That’s when I knew this was home. I didn’t even feel the need to visit other schools after seeing how close the team was.”
At the college level Cole was introduced to a whole new world, a new level of competition, and bigger challenges. Despite having to adapt to a new standard of competition, he earned a conference bronze medal during his freshman year.
“I was seated first, so I was very much walking in with the intention to try and go for gold,” said Cole, but competing against athletes who had trained for years presented a new challenge for him.
During his sophomore season Cole reached another milestone, he was able to throw over 70 meters, a lifelong goal he had, but not long after that an injury would test him in a whole new way.
“I was on the squat rack of all places, I racked it with my left arm, and on the right I missed the rack, and it just dropped, and I tried to catch it, my elbow blew up,” he recalls. “I felt a pop and saw my arm swell. I immediately knew my season was done.”
Cole was at the peak of his career, and despite being faced with one of the biggest challenges of his life in one of his best moments, he remained strong. “My coach told me this would test me physically and mentally. It’s given me time to reflect, recover, and come back stronger.”
After the injury came the rehab process, from resting, to moving his arm, to supervised lifting. It was a long and hard process, but it was one he did not have to face alone. “My trainer checks on me daily. My teammates keep me involved. Their support means everything.”
Cole faces other challenges away from the javelin as he balances being a student-athlete. Now with a degree, he plans to pursue his master’s while continuing to compete.
“Time management is key,” he says. “We train in the mornings, have classes, study sessions with teammates, and push ourselves both on the field and in the classroom.”
Despite his injury, Cole remains ambitious. His goal for next year is to reach 75 meters and qualify for the national meet.
“I don’t know if the Olympics are in my cards, but I’m going to keep fighting,” he says. “My dad always told me, ‘Never stop fighting for what you want.’”
For Cole Crkvenac, FIU is more than a school or a team, it’s home. And the journey of this thrower is far from over.
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