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Ryan Crouser: Record-breaking American reinventing the shot put with the 'Crouser Slide'

The Oregon-born athlete is today responsible for 10 of the 14 biggest throws in the history of the event - and eight of the 12 ratified by World Athletics to have exceeded the 23m mark.

Crouser's consistency does not appear to have suffered too much either, with his average of 22.61m across six throws at the recent London Diamond League bettering the single best attempt of each of his competitors.

His furthest that day - 23.07m in the fifth round - ranks as the ninth biggest throw of all time as he prepares to defend his world title in Budapest.

Prior to winning his first Olympic gold at the Rio Games in 2016, Crouser had come close to quitting the sport altogether.

Keen to prioritise his academic interests, to the extent he ruled out American football due to concerns over head injuries, training alongside studying for a Masters degree took its toll.

"Rio was a really special one for me because I'd really been struggling that year in particular," Crouser says.

"I was lifting at 6am in the morning, studying all day and throwing on weekends when I could. I was really struggling and I almost walked away from the sport.

"I told my dad I was done with it but he told me to stick it out because it was an Olympic year."

The latest talented thrower of his family - his father was a discus alternate at the 1984 Olympics while his uncle and cousin have both made US teams in javelin - Crouser believes there is more to come as he continues to hone his technique.

A 24m throw is not out of the question, he says. What is beyond any doubt is who the red-hot shot favourite will be when the World Championships begin on 19 August.

"People have a tendency to get carried away. As soon as I threw 23.37m, people said that 24m was the next logical step but it's such a big gap," says Crouser.

"There are so many variables that impact that truly optimal performance.

"Physical preparation, technique, sleep, recovery and nutrition on the day - trying to put together the perfect throw is a challenge.

"I think 24 metres is possible. Someone might come along and throw 25 metres. It's hard to really put a limit on the human body."

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Lorie Orum

Update: 2024-05-19