We can excel in field events, too, says Olympic shot put medallist

Where some would see Jamaica’s medals in the field events at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as a rare occurrence for a nation more accustomed to sprint success, men’s shot put bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell believes it could be a platform for a new wave of athletic dominance off the track.

Campbell made history last year when he became the first Jamaican man to earn a medal in the Olympic Games shot put final when his throw of 22.15 metres saw him finishing on the podium behind Americans Ryan Crouser, 22.90m, and Joe Kovacs, 22.15m.

He was one of four field athletes who contributed the lion’s share of Jamaica’s six medals at the Games, a rare sight for a country which has earned a reputation for their prowess on the track.

In fact, before 2024, Jamaica’s last medal in the field events at the Olympics came at the 2008 Beijing Games when Chelsea Hammond-Ross won bronze in the women’s long jump.

Hammond-Ross had initially placed fourth in the finals but was upgraded to the bronze medal in a medal reallocation ceremony in August 2024, after silver medallist Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia tested positive for a banned substance and was disqualified.

A SIGN OF GROWTH

Campbell, who is also the men’s shot put national record holder, said last year’s performance is a sign of growth for Jamaica in the field events.

“The thing is, we should always have a more rounded team going into championships,” he told The Gleaner.

“I think, the same success that we have on the track, we can have in the field, as we saw in the last Olympics. I think, going forward, we‘re going to see more athletes medalling in even more events. I’m expecting great things from Jamaican track and field.”

According to Campbell, for Jamaica to see even more success in field events, there has to be further focus placed on developing young athletes.

He applauded the efforts of the organisers of the various track meets which have given junior athletes a platform to hone their talents at an early age.

However, the Olympic medallist has also urged the public to throw its support behind the field athletes and give them the same support they give to their track counterparts.

“There have been grassroots track meets for field events for a long time. It is just that they don’t get that same support because, we as Jamaicans, our focus has been more on the track,” he explained.

“The meets have been around, the development has been there, and the investments have been done by a lot of coaches. But, with us being highlighted on the big stage now, I think it shows that the federations and all the associations should put even more investment into these meets.”

Campbell believes a key aspect in building on Jamaica’s success is to ensure junior athletes are able to access the right equipment for their chosen disciplines.

LACK OF RESOURCES

Speaking from his own experience, Campbell stated it is often difficult for young athletes interested in field events to consistently train, as several schools are unable to facilitate the training programmes.

He believes this lack of resources has often discouraged athletes from pursuing a career in the field events.

“We have cases where athletes can’t get the right equipment for their training. It’s hard to get the right equipment here, so any help would be appreciated. The same effort that we put into the track, we can put in the field to have success all around,” he said.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com