Crouser shatters shot put record

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 ring at his home in Arkansas during the pandemic shattered a shot put world record Friday night that was set 2 ½ years before he was born. On Day 1 of U.S. Olympic Trials, he heaved the medal sphere 76 feet, 8 ¼ inches (23.37 meters) to put his name in the record book and punch his ticket for Tokyo, where he’ll have a chance to defend his Olympic title next month. “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 put my hands over my head 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 ¼ (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

½ (22.92) to set the American Olympic trials record.