IT WAS the moment everything clicked for Robert Johnston.

The 18-year-old Cairns hammer thrower was competing at the Briggs Athletics Classic in Hobart when he unleashed a 66.43m effort to monster his personal best by nearly four metres.

But even more satisfying for Johnston was that the throw also qualified him for the world junior athletics championships in Barcelona in July.

"I’ve definitely been building up to it for a while," an elated Johnston said of his new benchmark.

"It was my goal to do a qualifier.

‘‘Just a lot of things clicked on the night and when I threw it, it actually felt pretty easy.

"It was a really nice feeling to have."

Johnston’s rate of improvement the past year has been remarkable, with the James Cook University medical student throwing nine metres further than he did this time in 2011.

He also entered the open men’s competition in Hobart, finishing fourth with a throw of 57.74m after using a heavier hammer.

Trained by Matt Horneman, who travels to Cairns every few weeks from Papua New Guinea, Johnston expects to keep improving as he builds towards Barcelona.

"I have been working hard with my coach on a lot of little different things like my footwork and my overall technique," Johnston said.

"I definitely think I’ve got more in me."

Following the world junior athletics championships, Johnston will set his sights on qualifying for the Australian team for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

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