Jasmine Burrell hadn’t even thought about going to college when she started getting recruiting letters through her door. But now, as a redshirt junior in her breakout season at San Diego State, she has her eyes set on a national title and the 2016 Rio Olympics.

After watching former Aztec Whitney Ashley become a track and field national champion in 2012 and Shanieka Thomas in 2013, Burrell hopes this year it’s her turn.

[quote]“This year I’ve just been really focused,” Burrell said. “I’m just trying to improve every practice and every track meet. And so far so good.”[/quote]

Burrell said she came to San Diego from Torrance, Calif., not knowing what the weight throw was. But after learning the event, she realized she was a good competitor for it. So far, she has already broken her own school record in the event twice since the track and field season began in January.

At the Cherry and Silver Invitational, her throw of 20.25m bettered the record by more than two feet. Then, less than a month later at the Don Kirby Elite Collegiate she improved her mark again with a throw of 20.75m.

[quote]“I just got in the ring and I said, ‘Jasmine, just give it all you’ve got, I don’t care where it goes just let it go,’” Burrell said of her latest record. “Then I threw it and it didn’t feel like a good throw. But I stepped out and I was like, ‘Yeah, that was good!’”[/quote]

Setting a new school record is Burrell’s greatest achievement to date on the track. But she said seeing her parents so proud is her biggest achievement in life.

“Just seeing my mom proud, that is the best feeling in the world,” Burrell said. “Also, setting an example for my little brother. Just seeing everybody happy for me. I think that’s every athlete’s goal, just seeing their parents happy.”

In the classroom, Burrell is working toward a degree in criminal justice and plans to work with children and women in the future.

After graduating from SDSU, Burrell said she hopes to move to the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center so she can work on achieving her Olympic dreams.

[quote]“I’m gonna do it; I believe I’m gonna do it,” Burrell said. “That’s the ultimate goal. People are like, ‘Why do you do all this?’ and I’m like, ‘I want to go to the Olympics, I’m not doing this for fun!’”[/quote]

Photo by Adriana Bush, sports editor