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Athlete of the week: Daeshon Gordon

Athlete+of+the+week%3A+Daeshon+Gordon
BRENDAN MALONEY

On Sunday, Oct. 21, the Northwestern State Demon community was struck with sudden tragedy. Daeshon Gordon, 22, former LSU two-time All American and NSU record holder, passed away abruptly from unknown causes.

A Jamaican native, Gordon graduated from Northeast High School in Miami in 2014 as one of the premier dual hurdlers in the nation. She competed at the 2014 Jamaican Junior Championships, and left that experience the No. 1 400-meter hurdler in the U.S., at the time.

Her international competition experience continued with an appearance at the 2015 JAAA National Senior Championships, where she set a Jamaican national junior record in the 100-meter hurdles. She followed up that performance with a bronze medal podium finish at the 2015 Pan American Junior Games in the 100-meter hurdles.

Gordon finished her athletic experience at LSU after garnering two All-American honors and achieving a spot-on LSU’s all-time list in multiple events.

Upon her arrival at NSU, she made an immediate impact to the growing success of the track and field team. During her first season as a Lady Demon, she became the 2017 SLC Indoor Champion in the 60-meter hurdles. Teamed with Tamara Style, Natashia Jackson, and De’Shalyn Jones, she helped set a school record in the 4×200 meter relay (1:35.70) and set personal records that place her on Lady Demon all-time lists.

“Daeshon was very energetic, very bubbly, and infectious smile. She was always a joy to be around. She was very considerate. She had a huge heart, and was just an awesome, awesome girl,” said Mike Heimerman, head track and field coach at NSU.

Following the 2017 season, Gordon was named the 2017 SLC Indoor Track and Field Newcomer of the Year, and was placed on the 2017 LSWA All-Louisiana Track and Field Team in the 4×400 meter relay.

Gordon continued to repeat excellence across the board in the 2018 seasons, becoming the SLC Indoor champion again in the 60-meter hurdles and the SLC Outdoor champion in both the 400 meter hurdles and 4×100 meter relay.

“She took on a lot of roles for someone who was already an All-American before she got here,” said Adam Pennington, associate head track and field coach. “She always stayed late at practice to help coach walk-on’s and the kids who maybe didn’t travel as much. That’s just the type of athlete that she was.”

Gordon was working on finishing her degree in Communications, and aspired to become a teacher. She would have been a first-generation college graduate, and NSU President Chris Maggio has said that he is working on awarding Gordon a post-humous degree.

She touched the lives of many athletes, both internationally and around the U.S. As a former Northwestern State track athlete, my heart goes out to everyone affected by her death, and my prayers go with her team, friends and family. We, the Current Sauce, stand with the rest of the Demon community in mourning her untimely death. Fly high, Daeshon.

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