Good Sports: Fresno Pacific hammer thrower having career year, hoping to set example

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno Pacific senior hammer thrower Jesse Franco is having a career year.

"The feeling is just surreal and spiritual," he said.

In early February, Franco beat his own record at the FPU pentathlon.

"Every time he PR's, it's a new school record, so it's something special to have," says coach Tim Holmes Jr.

Franco is the only thrower in program history to ever surpass 60 meters.

"Pushes me as coach, but also has just been a blessing to just kind of watch him growing as a human, as well as just a thrower," Holmes Jr. said.

But if you ask his coach, Franco the person is even more impressive than Franco the thrower.

"Nothing was a mistake -- everything was just perfectly aligned for me to become a hammer thrower," Franco said.

When you watch Franco throw, you just might notice something is different.

"I'm missing a finger," he said.

During his junior year at Kerman High School, Franco had a freak accident, tearing the tendons in his right index finger while climbing a fence.

"I decided to amputate it halfway, and that's what we're left with today," he said.

Shot put became more difficult, but the hammer throw still gave him a shot to compete at the next level.

"Coach Hawkins gave me a call, and he's like, 'Hey, I got this guy over here in Kerman that you guys need to have a conversation with.'"

Franco's high school coach also happened to be Holmes Jr's coach during his time as a thrower at Fresno City.

As one of the first Kerman High School athletes to ever get recruited for track and field, Franco hopes his journey serves as an example.

"Just setting that path, it gives people hope and they don't have to go to any other place to try and satisfy their desires or anything -- they can go to sports," he said.

It's a path Franco never takes credit for carving.

"I just know I'm not throwing it by myself, and God's by my side every single throw I ever do at competitions," he said.

With his community and faith behind him, Franco now turns his attention to another shot at the NCAA Division II national tournament.

"Always tailored to qualify for nationals and peak at the very end, but now, I want to peak multiple times," he said.

With every throw serving as an opportunity to break a new school record, Franco is just grateful to try and get another run on the national stage.

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