Kovacs wins silver again in shot put
Joe Kovacs wins silver again.
The Bethlehem Catholic and Penn State graduate finished second to world record holder and fellow American Ryan Crouser in Thursday’s men’s shot put final at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Kovacs, a two-time world champion and 2016 silver medalist, had a top throw Thursday of 22.65 meters (74.31 feet). It came on the fourth of his six throws in the finals.
Crouser broke his Olympic record with a best of 23.30 meters (76.44 feet), which came on his last throw. He re-established the mark he set on his second attempt (22.95)
The 32-year-old Kovacs had a consistent set of throws: 22.19, 20.95, 21.95, 22.65, 22.29 and 22.60. The Penn State graduate and Ohio resident, coached by his wife Ashley, was the 2019 world championship.
Crouser also won Olympic gold in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and had a feeling he’d win again. After he did just that on Thursday, he pulled out a piece of paper that said: “Grandpa. We did it. 2020 Olympic champion!”. Crouser’s second straight Olympic gold medal was a tribute to his grandfather, Larry, who died shortly before Crouser left for Tokyo.
On Crouser’s big day, Kovacs finished second and Tomas Walsh of New Zealand was third.
That was the exact same podium picture as five years ago at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. It marks the first time in any Olympic individual track and field event that there’s been a repeat podium in back-to-back Summer Games — the same three athletes in the exact same positions, according to Olympic historian Bill Mallon.
Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or at thousenick@mcall.com