Ryan Crouser goes massive, breaks 31-year-old shot put record
EUGENE: The record was older than he is. When Ryan Crouser broke it, “it felt like it was a huge weight lifted.”
The 28-year-old who built a training pit at his home in Arkansas to stay on point during the coronavirus pandemic shattered a shot put world record Friday night that was set 2 1/2 years before he was born.
On Day 1 of U.S. Olympic Trials, he heaved the massive medal sphere 76 feet, 8 1/4 inches (23.37 meters) to put his name in the record book and punch his ticket Tokyo, where he’ll have a chance to defend his Olympic title next month. Just like he always imagined. “There were so many times that I was throwing a six-pound shot out behind the middle school, throwing by myself, and let it go and be like, ‘Oh, new world record!’” Crouser said. “I knew it’s been a possibility or potential to do it since 2017.” Virtually everyone in this tightly knit group of throwers knew the record of 75-10 1/4 (23.12) held by Randy Barnes since May 20, 1990, was in jeopardy. Earlier this year, Crouser topped Barnes’ indoor record. Earlier on Friday, during qualifying, Crouser heaved 75-2 1/2 (22.92) to set the American Olympic trials record. Even before the fourth of his six tries on a mild, sunshiny evening at Hayward Field had plunked into the dirt, Crouser was lifting his arms to celebrate. When it landed, far beyond where any other mark had been made, a collective gasp came from the stands. About a half-minute passed while officials checked the distance. When the mark came up on the board, he was mobbed by fellow competitors .