WATCH: Alyssa Wilson breaks national shot put record at Ocean County Championships

JACKSON -- When one official is yelling across a shot put pit to another official to hold a mark before the throw is even measured, that is a sure sign that something significant has just taken place. 

On her second preliminary throw at the Ocean County Championships on Monday afternoon, Alyssa Wilson, as she always does, wasted little time in the circle. Her spin technique appearing flawless, the Donovan Catholic senior got that throw way out there. She knew it, and so did everyone else at Jackson Liberty's windswept shot put area. Even Wilson, generally stoic, gave that throw a half-smile as she exited the circle to retrieve her shot put. 

The official at the circle, the one ultimately measuring, asked the official in the pit, the one on the other side of the tape measure, to hold the mark. A 57-3 was initially announced, smashing the national outdoor record of 56-8.25 set by Raven Saunders in 2014. 

Upon verification by the meet's head official and a more-official tape measure, Wilson's new record toss stood at 57-1.25. 

"I was just happy that I was able to get that one out of the way," said Wilson, who broke the national indoor record with a 57-5.5 on Feb. 28. "My goal for this season was just to get this national record. I'm glad I was able to put out another 57-foot throw and show everyone that I wouldn't back down.

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Whether at the local or state level, other female throwers have been throwing for second for a long time now thanks to Wilson, the reigning NJSIAA Meet of Champions winner in the event, both indoors and outdoors. Wilson has heaped pressure on herself, especially since that national indoor record. In furthering her legacy as the greatest female thrower New Jersey has ever seen, Monday's accomplishment was fueled, in part, by disappointment. 

Wilson went to the Penn Relays late last month looking for the national record there, on one of the sport's grand stages. Instead, she 'settled' for a third prestigious Penn Relays gold watch, given to the winner, or the top American finisher. 

Her meet-record toss of 53-7 in the shadow of the Philadelphia skyline was good for the win at Penn, but still, there wasn't nearly as much satisfaction as there was disappointment. 

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"All the practices and all the dual meets since Penn, I think I've proven to myself that I can go out there and still throw as far as I have in the past," said Wilson, who fouled on her three of her final four attempts following the emotional high of the record toss. "I haven't lost anything, so it was good to just get out here and prove that to myself."

With the national record in hand, now what? The reality is probably more of the same. The must-see feel of Wilson stepping inside the circle will not change. What will change is that instead of looking for the record, she and everyone watching will look to see how far she can extend that record. 

Wilson has been on record as saying she believes she can get to 58-0 before this ends. Her father, Jamie, has echoed this sentiment. 

Oh, by the way, she threw the discus a state-record 182-0 earlier this spring and is the prohibitive favorite to repeat in that event at the MOC as well. 

"Every meet I don't throw 57 feet, I get let down. I always set high standards for myself, so every meet that passes by, I have thought about doing that."

Staff writer Josh Newman: jnewman@app.com