Rajindra Campbell, who gave up cricket for track, wins Jamaica’s first shot put medal at Paris Olympics

While Jamaica has a tradition of excellence in sprint events, and more recently jumps, success in the throws is relatively uncommon. That’s not the only thing unusual about Rajindra Campbell.

Paris 2024 Olympics: Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell celebrates after winning bronze in men’s shot put at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, on Saturday. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Like many Jamaicans, cricket was Rajindra Campbell’s first love growing up, but he gave it up in order to pursue track and field. Jamaica would be grateful he did. 

On Saturday night, at the Stade de France, the 28-year-old created history as he became the first man from the sprint powerhouse nation to win an Olympic medal — a bronze — in the shot put competition. Rajindra’s medal is one of only two for Jamaica at the 2024 Olympics so far, as Shanieka Ricketts clinched silver in the women’s triple jump. Earlier, Jamaican sprint star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce had unexpectedly pulled out of the 100m.

Rajindra was in second place until the very last throw of the competition, when American Joe Kovacs equalled the Jamaican’s best throw of 22.15m and then won on countback.

While Jamaica has a tradition of excellence in sprint events and, more recently, jumps, success in the throws is relatively uncommon. That’s not the only thing unusual about Rajindra.

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“It’s a bit uncommon to have a name like Rajindra. It’s mostly Indian-Carribbean people who have that name. But my father was a big fan of this West Indian cricketer of the 1990s of that name (leg-spinner Rajindra Dhanraj). So, that’s what he named me,” he says.

A father’s passion was initially passed down to the son. “I grew up idolising the West Indies. Like everyone else, I wanted to be like Chris Gayle too. I played at the community and school level, and I think I was pretty good,” he tells Sportstar.

It was only when he joined secondary school that Rajindra finally decided to switch to track and field. “I played a lot of cricket in primary and junior high, but after a while, I went to Ferncourt High School in Kingston. They didn’t have a cricket programme, and, you know, a teenage boy with a lot of energy needs somewhere to put that energy. So, I picked up track and field,” he says.

Rajindra says he didn’t have a lot of speed but quickly found out he had plenty of power. He eventually earned a scholarship to go to Missouri Southern State College in the USA and went on to compete at the 2020 NCAA championships. Cricket grew even further away. “Unfortunately, I’m in the US, so there’s not much chance for me to play. I actually met this one Indian dude in the Kansas City area, and he asked me if I knew a place where I could play. But it’s a small town. And I had also started specialising in my event. It is hard to branch out and do other sports at the same time,” he says.

Even now, Rajindra thinks he’d have made a good cricketer. “I batted in the middle order, and let me tell you, no bowler wanted to bowl to me. It was pretty much game over once I got going. I was really intense. I didn’t really like to bowl, but I was a really good fielder. I could field at silly point or even long off if I had to. I can throw really well from the outfield, and I can catch very well. I’ve got pretty good hands, as you can imagine being a shot putter,” he says.

But even as Rajindra decided to focus on his career as a shot putter, he’d be the first to admit it’s hard to make a living while competing as one, unlike many cricketers from his home island. His own career has taken its time to develop; he only won the Jamaica national championships for the first time last year and is still an unsponsored athlete. To make ends meet, Rajindra works at a Domino’s pizza outlet in the USA. It’s not something he’s embarrassed about. “In Jamaican track and field, it’s the sprinters who are the real focus of attention. At the start of my career, I was just someone who made up the numbers on the team. That meant there’s not a lot of money for me to pursue my sport. (Working at a pizza place) is just something I have to do. Everyone at the store also knows why I’m working there. So, it’s fine,” he says.

While he’s hopeful things will change after his Olympic bronze medal, Rajindra has no regrets about his choice of career. “Jamaica has a lot of cricketers, but they don’t have a lot of shot putters. I’m glad I could win the first medal for Jamaica in this event and also win the first medal of the Olympics for us. Bronze is the start. I want to be even more ambitious with my targets next year,” he says.