Ryan Crouser, in legend mode: new world record and best historical series

On the adjacent track of the Drake Stadium in Los Angeles, a worldwide impact occurred on Saturday, May 27, when a 7,260 kilo steel ball broke off Ryan Crouser’s neck, floated in the air and embedded 23.56 meters later to set a new world record for shot put.

The 30-year-old American, Olympic champion in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, broke with his performance the previous best historical record in the discipline, the 23.37 that he himself was able to achieve in the Eugene Olympic events in 2021, breaking Randy Barnes’ 21-year record.

In addition to the feat in the fourth release, Crouser wrote another indelible page in his golden career by completing the most outstanding series for a shot put specialist: 23.23 - 23.31 - 22.94 - 23.56 - 22.80 - 22.86 meters. The worst of all his throws, 22.80 meters, would have been enough for him to win the gold medal in all the Olympic Games except the last ones, which he won with 23.30 meters.

“I’ve always competed against myself, my goal is to beat my personal mark. It’s such a special feeling to say that today I’m better than ever,” said the Portland, Oregon native, the undisputed favorite for this year’s Budapest World Cup and for Paris 2024.

Crouser will have to wait for his mark to be validated, since twice world records were annulled due to technical irregularities and even more so knowing that since the 2022 winter season he has been implementing a new way of throwing, which according to him made a “click”.

The podium in Los Angeles, the sixth golden stage of the continental tour, also included the New Zealander and bronze medalist in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Tom Walsh (22.12 meters) and the North American Payton Otterdahl, who achieved his best personal record, 21.99 meters.