NEWLY MINTED national men’s shot put record holder and world number four-ranked Rajindra Campbell is not allowing his massive 22.22m throw at Saturday’s Meet de Madrid at Estadio Vallehermoso in Spain to make him lose sight of his goals.

While acknowledging he has now “established” himself, Campbell understands he will need to prove he is here to stay and isn’t a mere flash in the pan.

The left-handed Campbell was in third place in the final round on Saturday, after two fouls, when he unleashed his big throw that sailed over the farthest tape. And while he awaited the official mark he said he knew he had done something special.

The former Ferncourt High and Kingston College thrower, who was fifth in the discus event at the Pan American Junior Championships in Canada in 2015, held his head in surprise as he was congratulated by his competitors on Saturday.

He replaced former World Championships bronze medallist O’Dayne Richards as the national record holder

“I am calm for the time being; I don’t want to start celebrating too soon,” Campbell, 27, told the Jamaica Observer on Saturday.

“I still have a few meets ahead of me, and the World Championship where I will have to replicate, but I really like it. It’s a wonderful feeling. I am now established as a shot putter — which is a great feeling.”

Campbell, who broke his previous best of 21.31m by almost a metre, has also made the qualifying mark for next year’s Olympic Games in Paris, France. He said he knew he would get over 22 but he was not expecting it as yet.

“I knew that I could throw 22 metres eventually but I did not know that it would come this soon; I was more projecting that I would do that at the World Championships where I thought I would cross that milestone,” said the thrower who is the 22nd best of all times and one of only 25 men to throw over 22 metres

He said he had been more focused on the 21.40-m qualifying mark for next month’s World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Going into the Madrid meet Campbell was ranked 19th in the world, and with just a week left in the qualifying period it was almost a certainty he would have been part of the 36 men who would line up in the first round on the first day of the championships.

“[I was] confident about my goals I set for myself this year — 22.00m and the national record. I wanted to break the national record at the Jamaica championship but… wasn’t able to, but I am happy that I got it,” said Campbell who is based in Joplin, Missouri, at his alma mater Missouri Southern State University, and is coached by former NCAA Division 2 champion Brian Allen.

“I’m very optimistic. I am a very ambitious athlete and I think, based on the projections right now, I am expecting good things.

“The last two seasons I had to make some mental and personal adjustments based on where I was and what I was trying to accomplish; this season it was more of an experiment to see how far I can get with the limitations that I’m facing. So now that I understand that I’m capable, I am way more optimistic and grateful. I have to stay humble and have to keep working because it is not over yet.

“It’s just that I’ve been chasing the dream for a while; I haven’t made any significant progress before this year. [But I am] very hungry, very determined — I have a few goals left to accomplish this season,” he said.