By Mitch Phillips TOKYO (Reuters) – Ryan Crouser completed an incredible world championship shot put hat-trick to match his three Olympic golds on Saturday when, having not thrown once all year before the morning heats, the American somehow found a 22.34-metre effort to take gold. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, a double Olympic 800m champion, […]
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Athletics-Injury-ravaged Crouser wins astounding third shot gold
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By Mitch Phillips
TOKYO (Reuters) – Ryan Crouser completed an incredible world championship shot put hat-trick to match his three Olympic golds on Saturday when, having not thrown once all year before the morning heats, the American somehow found a 22.34-metre effort to take gold.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, a double Olympic 800m champion, said on Friday that the men’s shot was the event he was most looking forward to and, as so often, it did not disappoint.
As well as Crouser’s mind-blowing win, Mexico’s Uziel Munoz produced a national record of 21.97 with his final throw to take a shock silver medal.
That meant that Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri took bronze after he and New Zealand’s Tom Walsh both threw 21.94. Fabbri had a better second throw and Walsh, the 2017 champion, missed out on another medal after previously pocketing two bronzes.
Crouser, though, stole the headlines again. It was an extraordinary performance by the 32-year-old, who has been sidelined by an elbow injury for 12 months and was a somewhat controversial selection for the U.S. team.
He gave a hint that he was close to his best with a 21.37-metre effort in morning qualifying – the first time he had thrown the shot all year.
He improved to 21.41 with his first effort in the final and threw 21.99 with his second. That would have been enough but he made sure with his fifth to seal a 12th men’s gold in the last 16 world championships for the U.S.
“Every championship has a different aspect to it but this one is the one I am most proud of,” Crouser said.
“This is my first time throwing hard since last September so I really didn’t know what kind of shape I was in. It was kind of ‘fake it till you make it’ today. So to win a medal with this kind of improper preparation is something I am very proud of.
“There has been a lot of doubt to be honest. We left one of the best shot putters in the world at home so I felt like I owed it to Joe (Kovacs) to come out here and execute.”
A delighted Munoz said: “This is the result of hard work for many years. It’s been a long and arduous road, first to reach 20 metres and I have been playing catch-up for some years.”
“Consistency, discipline and dedication have been key to this. We are paving the way for the throws in Mexico. They were forgotten and we are putting them back on the map.”
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Clare Fallon)