Ryan Crouser Makes History with Olympic Shot Put Three-Peat, Eyes 2028 Glory

SAINT-DENIS, France — Not even a troublesome elbow could prevent Ryan Crouser from shining in Paris.

As the Paris Games approached, Crouser remained unsure if his elbow would withstand the competition. Despite the uncertainty, he aimed to defend his Olympic title.

Against the odds, Crouser clinched his third Olympic gold in men’s shot put on a rainy Saturday night. American teammate Joe Kovacs secured silver, making it his third consecutive runner-up finish, while Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell claimed bronze.

Despite the grueling competition, Crouser is already envisioning a potential fourth win in Los Angeles. The 31-year-old’s journey is far from over.

“This victory was the sweetest,” Crouser remarked. “Overcoming doubts about my ability to compete again made it special.”

Crouser’s road to Paris was marred by injuries. He aggravated the ulnar nerve in his elbow in March, tore his pectoral muscle in April, and underwent a procedure to lift the nerve out of the ulnar groove. These setbacks forced him to modify his training regimen significantly.

With limited practice sessions, Crouser competed with a mix of grit and showmanship, even striking a pose as “The Thinker” during his introduction. His first throw measured 22.64 meters.

His longest throw of 22.90 meters, while not threatening his world (23.56) or Olympic (23.30) records, held immense personal value.

“I had to overcome self-doubt and prove I could still compete at this level,” Crouser reflected. “The past eight years have been a golden era for shot put.”

Kovacs, who has now thrice finished second at the Olympics, delivered a remarkable final throw of 21.15 meters, moving from outside medal range to silver, displacing Campbell to bronze and knocking American teammate Payton Otterdahl off the podium.

“I’m not happy with three silvers, but that last throw felt special,” Kovacs admitted.

Crouser commended Kovacs’ effort. “To secure silver in the sixth round, in the rain, was the most impressive throw I’ve seen from him,” he said.

With his third gold, Crouser surpassed Americans Parry O’Brien and Ralph Rose, and Poland’s Tomasz Majewski, in Olympic shot put history.

Memories of his late grandfather, Larry Crouser, who inspired his interest in shot put, were fresh in his mind. “I felt like Grandpa was watching over me tonight,” Crouser shared. “Having my family here made it even more special.”

The Crouser family could be coming together again in four years.