46.65 seconds: Crisp County’s Keishon Franklin makes history for Southeastern University

CORDELE, GA – Don’t blink or you might miss him.

Keishon Franklin is the fastest man at Southeastern University after breaking the school record with a 46.65 time in the 400-yard dash at the UCF Knights Invite in late March.

Before he was breaking records as a fire, he was doing it as a Cougar at Crisp County High where he set, and still has, the record for fastest 400m time from 2018.

“I prepared for it like any other meet,” Franklin said. “I put in work that week with my coach and he told me I would go 46 [seconds] that meet.”

Franklin spent the most of his life crafting his skills to become one of the best runners in the country, and now has the platform to teach the next group of guys from the 229 what they can do to get better.

“It means a lot to have kids from Cordele reach out to me about workouts or training,” Franklin said. “Just to point them in the right direction is a huge blessing because that’s something I used to want back then.”

But it’s not all about running for the former Crisp County athlete.

Franklin said he is in the process of getting his Master’s degree to one day become a professional counselor and help the youth.

“Maybe be a private counselor in the future,” Franklin said. “Starting out with my Bachelor’s I want to just be a registered Behavioral Technician and work with autistic children.”

Before he earns his degree, he’ll be racing in China in the fall and said he cannot wait to experience the Asian culture.

“It doesn’t even feel real,” Franklin said. “To be able to perform … is something I dreamed of doing.”