Ryan Crouser defends shot put gold with three Olympic records

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TOKYO – Arkansas volunteer assistant Ryan Crouser successfully defended his Olympic gold medal with a stellar performance topped with an Olympic record 76 feet, 5½ inches (23.30), just three quarters inch of the world record he set in June.

For the first time in Olympic history in an individual event, the same three 2016 medalists repeated their exact arrival at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. American Joe Kovacs won silver with a draw of 74 -3 (22.65) while New Zealander Tomas Walsh took bronze with a score of 73-8 (22.47).

Crouser, who improved his 2016 Olympic record to 73-10 ¾ (22.52) in the Tokyo qualifying round, quickly improved it to 74-11 (22.83) in the first round as a seventh pitcher among the field of 12. The next best effort in the first stanza was a 72-9 ¾ (22.19) by Kovacs.

In the second round, Crouser threw the shot put 75-2 (22.93) to set another Olympic record while the next best mark behind him was a 72-9 (22.17) from Walsh.

A mark of 75-0 (22.86) was produced by Crouser in the third round. Then he became the eighth and final pitcher for the next three rounds as the field of 12 was reduced to eight.

While Crouser did not improve in the fourth and fifth stanzas, he continued to pass 73 feet with scores of 74-7 (22.74) and 73-11 ½ (22.54).

Meanwhile, Kovacs improved to 74-3 ¾ in the fourth round while Walsh recorded his best score in the sixth round.

On the final throw of the competition, Crouser made his massive 76-5 ½ throw to cap a successful defense of his Rio Olympic gold medal. In doing so, he became the fourth person to win consecutive Olympic titles in the shot put.

It has already been directed by Tomasz Majewski of Poland (2008, 2012), Parry O’Brien of the United States (1952, 1956) and the American Ralph Rose (1904, 1908).

The incredible streak Crouser generated in the final, including his lone pitch in the qualifying round, means he now holds seven of the top nine scores in Olympic history. Kovacs has two of the top-nine marks with his runner-up effort and a 74-1 final round (22.60).

In the prelims of the men’s 4 × 100 relay, Denmark placed seventh with a national record of 38.16, but the quartet did not include Razorback Kris Hari, who was recently injured in a session of ‘coaching. Overall, Denmark ranked 10e among the 16 competing teams.

Olympic shot put all-time ranking | Ryan Crouser series | OR – Olympic record

4 | OR 74-11 (22.83)

2 | OR 75-2 (22.93)

3 | 75-0 (22.86)

5 | 74-7 (22.74)

8 | 73-11 ½ (22.54)

1 | OR 76-5 ½ (23.30)

Photos courtesy of Getty Images Sport & Errol Anderson

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