History of Ryan Crouser in Timeline
Ryan Crouser is an American track and field athlete renowned for his exceptional shot put skills. He holds the distinction of being the sole three-time Olympic gold medalist in the shot put, having secured victories in Rio de Janeiro (2016), Tokyo (2020), and Paris (2024). Crouser's dominance extends to the World Championships, where he has clinched two titles. Notably, he holds both the indoor and outdoor world records in the shot put. His remarkable outdoor record of 23.56 meters, set in May 2023, surpassed his previous record of 23.37 meters, established in July 2021. Since January 2021, he has maintained the indoor world record of 22.82 meters.
1984: Mitch Crouser, Ryan's Father, as Olympic Alternate
Ryan Crouser's father, Mitch Crouser, was an alternate on the 1984 Olympic discus team.
1989: Randy Barnes Sets Indoor Shot Put World Record
In 1989, Randy Barnes set a world record for the indoor shot put with a throw of 22.66 m. This record stood for over three decades.
1990: Randy Barnes Sets Outdoor Shot Put World Record
In 1990, Randy Barnes set a world record in the outdoor shot put with a throw of 23.12 m. This record remained unbroken for over three decades.
December 18, 1992: Ryan Crouser's Birth
Ryan Crouser was born on December 18, 1992, in Portland, Oregon.
2004: Last American Male Shot Put Olympic Champion Before Crouser
The last American man to win the Olympic gold medal in shot put before Ryan Crouser was in 2004.
2008: Ryan Whiting Sets Collegiate Indoor Record
Ryan Whiting set the collegiate indoor record in the shot put in 2008, a record that Ryan Crouser later matched in 2016.
2009: Crouser's Early Career Success
In 2009, Ryan Crouser won gold in the shot put at the World Youth Championships and set a national high school record in the indoor shot put.
2009: High School Success and National Representation
In 2009, while a sophomore at Sam Barlow High School, Ryan Crouser set a national sophomore record in discus and won both shot put and discus events at the National Youth Championships. This qualified him to represent the United States at the 2009 World Youth Championships in Italy, where he won gold in shot put and silver in discus.
2009: Mason Finley's National High School Discus Record
Mason Finley set the national high school discus record in 2009, a record that Ryan Crouser would later break in 2011.
2011: Crouser Breaks National High School Records
In 2011, Ryan Crouser broke the national high school indoor record in the shot put. He also broke the national high school record in the discus, surpassing Mason Finley's 2009 record.
2012: Crouser Begins Competing for University of Texas
Ryan Crouser started competing for the University of Texas at Austin in 2012.
2013: Crouser Redshirts Indoor Season and Wins First NCAA Title
Ryan Crouser redshirted the 2013 indoor season due to a torn ligament in his throwing hand and illness. He won his first NCAA title at the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
2013: Crouser Utilizes Remaining Eligibility
Due to redshirting the 2013 indoor season, Ryan Crouser had one more winter of collegiate eligibility, which he used to compete in the 2016 indoor season.
2014: Crouser Wins Two More NCAA Titles
In 2014, Ryan Crouser won two more NCAA titles in the shot put, one at the Indoor Championships and one at the Outdoor Championships. He injured his left foot during the Outdoor Championships, forcing him to withdraw from the discus event.
2015: Crouser Places Second and Fifth in NCAA Championships
Ryan Crouser placed second in the shot put at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Championships and fifth in both the shot put and discus at the Outdoor Championships.
June 2016: Crouser Nominated for Bowerman Award
In June 2016, Ryan Crouser was named a semi-finalist for the Bowerman award, recognizing his outstanding achievements as a student-athlete.
2016: Crouser Wins Olympic Trials and Gold Medal
In 2016, Ryan Crouser won his first national title at the US Olympic trials, defeating reigning world champion Joe Kovacs, and qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics. He went on to win the gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, becoming the first American man to win the event since 2004.
2016: Crouser's NCAA and National Championship Wins
Ryan Crouser began his streak of winning seven out of eight national titles in the shot put at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2016.
2016: Crouser's Time at University of Texas
Ryan Crouser competed for the University of Texas at Austin from 2012 to 2016, during which time he won four NCAA titles in the shot put.
2016: Crouser Wins First Olympic Gold
Ryan Crouser won his first Olympic gold medal in the shot put at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics with a throw of 22.52 meters, setting a new Olympic record.
June 2017: Crouser Wins National Title and Competes at World Championships
Ryan Crouser won another national title in the shot put in June 2017 and competed at the World Championships in London, where he finished sixth.
2018: Crouser's Performance at National Championships and Diamond League
In 2018, Ryan Crouser placed second at the USA Outdoor Championships. He also competed in the Diamond League, winning in Eugene, Monaco, and Zagreb.
December 2019: Crouser Relocates and Embraces Coaching Role
In December 2019, Ryan Crouser made a significant move from the United States Olympic Training Center in San Diego to Fayetteville, Arkansas. He took on the role of a volunteer coach for the University of Arkansas men's track and field team.
2019: Crouser's First Indoor National Championship Win
Ryan Crouser won his first national title in the indoor shot put at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in 2019.
2019: Crouser's Victories and World Championship Performance
Ryan Crouser started 2019 with victories at the Millrose Games and the USA Indoor Championships. He won another national title at the USA Outdoor Championships, qualifying him for the World Championships in Qatar, where he achieved a personal best but finished second to Joe Kovacs in a very close competition.
2019: Start of Crouser's Undefeated Streak
Ryan Crouser began an impressive undefeated streak in shot put in 2019, which continued into 2021.
2019: Crouser Wins Silver at World Championships
Ryan Crouser won a silver medal in the shot put at the 2019 World Championships in Doha.
2020: Crouser Sets New Indoor World Record in Shot Put
In 2020, Ryan Crouser set a new world record for indoor shot put at the American Track League meet, with a throw of 22.82 m, surpassing Randy Barnes' 1989 record of 22.66 m.
2020: Crouser's 2020 Season Marked by Pandemic Disruptions and Personal Bests
In 2020, Ryan Crouser started the year strong with victories in shot put competitions. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of the Summer Games and disrupted the international sports calendar, halting his competition schedule until July. During the shutdown, Crouser found ways to stay competitive by participating in bass fishing tournaments and building his own shot put ring. When competitions resumed, he achieved a personal best throw of 22.91 m, ranking as the fourth best mark in history. He remained undefeated throughout all ten meets he participated in that year.
2020: Crouser Defends Olympic Title
Ryan Crouser successfully defended his Olympic title in the shot put at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, setting another Olympic record with a throw of 23.30 meters.
2020: Crouser's Second Indoor National Championship Win
Ryan Crouser won his second consecutive national title in the indoor shot put at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in 2020.
January 2021: Crouser Sets Indoor Shot Put World Record
Ryan Crouser set the indoor world record in the shot put with a throw of 22.82 meters in January 2021.
July 2021: Crouser Breaks Outdoor Shot Put World Record
Ryan Crouser set a new world record in the shot put with a throw of 23.37 meters in July 2021, improving his own previous record.
July 2021: Crouser Breaks Outdoor Shot Put World Record at US Olympic Trials
In July 2021, at the US Olympic trials, Ryan Crouser broke the existing outdoor world record in shot put with a throw of 23.37 m, surpassing Randy Barnes's 1990 record of 23.12 m.
August 11, 2021: World Athletics Ratifies Crouser's Record-Breaking Throw
On August 11, 2021, World Athletics officially ratified Ryan Crouser's record-breaking shot put throw of 23.37 m, which he achieved at the 2020 US Olympic trials in July 2021.
2021: Crouser Receives Numerous Accolades for His Performance in 2021
In 2021, Ryan Crouser received multiple accolades for his outstanding performance in shot put. He was named World Male Athlete of the Year by Track & Field News, received the Jesse Owens Award from USA Track & Field, and was a finalist for the World Athlete of the Year by World Athletics. His achievements included achieving the three farthest throws in history, nine out of the top ten marks of the year, maintaining an undefeated streak since 2019, and winning the Diamond League final. He also reached a career total of 163 throws over 22 m by the end of the season, the highest ever recorded and accounting for more than a third of all 22-m throws in the sport's history.
2022: Crouser Experiences Triumph and Setback in 2022 Competitions
In 2022, Ryan Crouser experienced both success and challenges. He secured first place in the shot put at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships and later earned a silver medal at the World Athletics Indoor Championships. However, his performance was impacted by nerve-related issues in his throwing arm. Despite this setback, he won the national title in shot put, qualifying for the World Championships. At the World Championships, he won his first world title in the event with a throw of 22.94 m, leading an American sweep of the podium.
2022: Crouser's Third and Fourth Indoor National Championship Wins
Ryan Crouser won his third and fourth national titles in the indoor shot put at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in 2022 and 2024.
2022: Crouser Wins Gold at World Championships
Ryan Crouser won the gold medal in the shot put at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene.
May 2023: Crouser Sets New Outdoor Shot Put World Record
In May 2023, Ryan Crouser set a new outdoor world record in the shot put with a throw of 23.56 meters, surpassing his previous record.
2023: Crouser Achieves New World Record and Battles Health Challenges in Successful Season
Ryan Crouser had a remarkable year in 2023, marked by a new world record in the shot put and a second world title. He achieved the record-breaking throw of 23.56 m at the Los Angeles Grand Prix, attributing his success to a new technique he developed called the "step-across." This method involves a lateral stepping motion across the throwing circle, improving balance and power. Crouser also secured another national title, qualifying him for the World Championships. However, he was diagnosed with blood clots in his legs before the competition, requiring him to take blood thinners. Despite this, he won his second world title with a throw of 23.51 m. Crouser's success continued throughout the season, winning 13 out of 14 competitions. His only loss came at the Prefontaine Classic against Joe Kovacs. His exceptional performance made him a finalist for World Athlete of the Year.
2023: Crouser Wins Gold and Sets Championship Record
Ryan Crouser won the gold medal in the shot put at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest with a throw of 23.51 meters, setting a new championship record.
March 2024: Crouser Finds Inspiration in Coaching
By March 2024, Ryan Crouser had found that coaching college students brought a renewed sense of excitement to his own competing. He acknowledged that working with these athletes provided him with valuable perspective and a positive outlook, reminding him of his own journey and how far he had come.
2024: Crouser Makes History with Third Consecutive Olympic Gold in Shot Put
At the 2024 Olympic Games, Ryan Crouser etched his name in history by becoming the first athlete to win three consecutive gold medals in the shot put. This victory was especially significant as Crouser had battled injuries earlier in the year, making his achievement a testament to his resilience and determination.
2024: Crouser's Continued Success in National Championships
By 2024, Ryan Crouser had won seven out of eight national titles in the shot put at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
2024: Crouser Dominates Indoor Shot Put, Securing National and World Titles
In 2024, Ryan Crouser continued his dominance in the shot put, securing both national and world titles in the indoor season. He won his fourth national title at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships with a throw of 22.80 m, qualifying him for the World Athletics Indoor Championship. At the World Championship, he claimed his first World Indoor Championship title with a throw of 22.77 m, significantly surpassing the second-place finisher by 70 cm. His success continued at the 2024 Olympic Trials, where he won his seventh national title and secured his place at the Olympic Games.