Ryan Crouser facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ryan Crouser

Crouser in 2019 at the Millrose Games
Personal information
Born	(1992-12-18) December 18, 1992 (age 32) Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Height	6 ft 7 in
Weight	320 lbs
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Shot put Discus throw
College team	Texas Longhorns
Club	Nike
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking	1st (Shot put, 2023)
Personal best(s)	SP: 23.56 m (2023) DT: 63.90 m (2014) JT: 61.16 m (2008)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Shot put Gold 2020 Tokyo Shot put Gold 2024 Paris Shot put World Championships Gold 2022 Eugene Shot put Gold 2023 Budapest Shot put Silver 2019 Doha Shot put World Indoor Championships Gold 2024 Glasgow Shot put Silver 2022 Belgrade Shot put World Youth Championships Gold 2009 Bressanone Shot put Silver 2009 Bressanone Discus throw

Ryan Crouser (born December 18, 1992) is an American track and field athlete. He is famous for competing in the shot put and discus events. Ryan is especially good at the shot put. He is the only person to win three Olympic gold medals in this event. He won at the Rio de Janeiro Games, the Tokyo Games, and the Paris Games. He is also a two-time World Champion.

Ryan holds the world record for the shot put, both indoors and outdoors. In May 2023, he set the outdoor world record with a throw of 23.56 meters. This was even better than his own record of 23.37 meters from July 2021. He has held the indoor record of 22.82 meters since January 2021.

Early in his career, Ryan set national high school records for indoor shot put and outdoor discus. He won a gold medal in shot put at the 2009 World Youth Championships. While at the University of Texas at Austin, he won four NCAA titles in the shot put. He has won the national shot put title seven times between 2016 and 2024. He also won the national indoor shot put title four times.

Ryan won his first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. He threw 22.52 meters. He won again at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, setting an Olympic record of 23.30 meters. He also won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a throw of 22.90 meters. At the 2019 World Championships in Doha, he earned a silver medal. Later, he won gold at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene and the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. His throw of 23.51 meters in Budapest was the farthest ever at a World Championships.

Ryan Crouser has received many awards. He was named the Track & Field News World Male Athlete of the Year. He also won the Jesse Owens Award, which is a top honor from USA Track & Field. He was a finalist for the World Athlete of the Year award twice. This award is given by World Athletics, the main group for track and field sports. Ryan has won major titles in the Diamond League, Olympic Games, World Indoor Championship, World Outdoor Championship, and World Youth Championship.

Early Life and Youth Competitions

Ryan Crouser was born on December 18, 1992, in Portland, Oregon. He grew up in a nearby area called Boring. His family has a strong history in throwing events. His father, Mitch Crouser, was an alternate for the 1984 Olympic discus team. His uncle, Brian Crouser, competed in two Olympics in javelin. Another uncle, Dean Crouser, was good at shot put and discus. His cousins, Sam and Haley Crouser, are also javelin throwers. Ryan started track and field in fifth grade. By high school, he was already competing at a very high level.

In 2009, during his second year at Sam Barlow High School in Gresham, Oregon, Ryan set a national record for sophomores. He threw the 1.62 kg (3.58 lb) discus 61.72 meters. This throw was also an Oregon state record until his cousin Sam broke it later. Ryan won both the 5 kg shot put and the 1.5 kg discus at the 2009 National Youth Championships. This allowed him to represent the United States at the 2009 World Youth Championships in Bressanone, Italy. There, he won gold in shot put with a record throw of 21.56 meters. He also won a silver medal in discus.

In 2011, his senior year, Ryan broke the national high school indoor record in the 5.44 kg (12 lb) shot put. He threw it 23.54 meters. This was a great comeback after a foot injury in his junior year. As a senior, Ryan also broke the national high school record in discus. He threw 72.40 meters, beating a record from 2009. After high school, Ryan chose to go to the University of Texas at Austin. This was different from his family, who usually went to the University of Oregon.

College Competitions

Ryan Crouser competed for the University of Texas at Austin from 2012 to 2016. He won four NCAA titles in the shot put during this time. In his first year, he had a torn ligament in his throwing hand and was sick. Because of this, he took a redshirt year in 2013, meaning he didn't compete indoors. His first title came in his second year at the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championships. He threw 21.09 meters. Ryan was good at school, but the heavy workload in engineering became too much. He decided to change his major to economics.

In his third year, Ryan won another national shot put title at the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships in March. He threw 21.21 meters, beating Stephen Mozia. The next summer, Ryan won his third national shot put title at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships. He threw 21.12 meters. During this event, he hurt his left foot on his last throw. This made him unable to compete in the discus event. In his fourth year, he placed second at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Championships. He threw 20.93 meters, just behind Stipe Žunić. At the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships, Ryan finished fifth in both shot put and discus.

Because he took a redshirt year, Ryan had one more year of college eligibility for the 2016 indoor season. As a fifth-year senior, he threw a personal best of 21.73 meters at the 2016 Big 12 Indoor Championships. This throw matched a college indoor record from 2008 and was the farthest throw that year. Later that winter, Ryan won his second college indoor title and fourth overall title at the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships. In June 2016, he was a semi-finalist for the Bowerman award. This award is given to the best student-athlete by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Senior Competitions and Olympic Gold

2016–2018: First Olympic Gold

Crouser raises his fist in victory.

Tomas Walsh (left), Joe Kovacs (center), and Crouser (right)

Crouser wins the shot put final at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro

While getting ready for the 2016 US Olympics trials, Ryan was also studying for a master's degree in finance. He trained with Mac Wilkins, a former Olympic discus champion. At the trials, Ryan won his first national title. He beat the current world champion, Joe Kovacs. This win qualified him for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. On August 8, Ryan won the gold medal. He set an Olympic record with a throw of 22.52 meters. He was the first American man to win this event since 2004.

Ryan won another national shot put title in June 2017. He then competed at the 2017 World Championships in London, where he finished sixth. At the 2018 USA Outdoor Championships on June 23, he placed second. He threw 20.99 meters, behind Darrell Hill. In the 2018 Diamond League, a series of international competitions, he won in Eugene (22.53 m), Monaco (22.05 m), and Zagreb (22.09 m).

2019: Silver Medal in Doha

Crouser at the 2019 USA Indoor Championships

Ryan started 2019 with a win at the Millrose Games in New York on February 9. He threw 22.33 meters. He then won again at the 2019 USA Indoor Championships on February 23. In July, he won a national title at the 2019 USA Outdoor Championships. This qualified him for the 2019 World Championships in Qatar. At the World Championships on October 5, Ryan threw his personal best of 22.90 meters. He finished just behind Joe Kovacs (22.91 meters). World Athletics called this the "greatest – and closest – shot put competition ever."

2020: Top Throws During the Pandemic

Ryan started 2020 with wins at the Millrose Games and the 2020 USA Indoor Championships. His competitions stopped until July because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic caused the 2020 Summer Games to be postponed and changed many sports events. To deal with this, Ryan started bass fishing tournaments. He also built his own shot put ring near his home. On July 19, he competed again at the American Track League Meet. He threw a personal best of 22.91 meters, which was the fourth best throw in history. Ryan finished the year without losing in any of the 10 meets he entered.

2021: World Records and Tokyo Gold

On January 24, Ryan set a world record for the indoor shot put at the American Track League meet. He threw 22.82 meters, beating the old record set by Randy Barnes in 1989. In July 2021, the 28-year-old set another world record at the 2020 US Olympic trials. He threw 23.37 meters, breaking the outdoor world record of 23.12 meters that Barnes had held since 1990. World Athletics officially approved his record-breaking throw on August 11, 2021. At the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo, Ryan won his second Olympic gold medal. He set a new Olympic record of 23.30 meters. Three of his six throws at these Games were farther than the previous Olympic record.

Ryan was named the World Male Athlete of the Year by Track & Field News. He also received the Jesse Owens Award from USA Track & Field. He was a finalist for the World Athlete of the Year by World Athletics. In 2021, he had the three farthest throws in history. He also had nine of the top ten throws of the year. He had not lost a competition since 2019 and won the Diamond League final. By the end of the season, he had made 163 throws over 22 meters in his career. This is the most ever recorded, making up over a third of all 22-meter throws in the sport's history.

2022: Gold Medal in Eugene

Josh Awotunde (left), Joe Kovacs (center), and Crouser (right)

On February 27, Ryan finished first in the shot put at the 2022 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships. The next month, he went to Serbia to compete at the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships. He won a silver medal, coming in second to Darlan Romani from Brazil. Ryan had some nerve issues in his throwing arm during this time. Later that summer, on June 24, the 29-year-old won a national shot put title. This qualified him for the 2022 World Championships in Eugene. At the World Championships, Ryan won his first world title in the event, throwing 22.94 meters. His victory led to an American sweep of the medals. Joe Kovacs took silver, and Josh Awotunde took bronze.

2023: World Record and Gold in Budapest

In 2023, Ryan Crouser broke his own world record in the shot put. He won gold at the 2023 World Championships. He also won 13 out of 14 competitions that year. His world record throw happened on May 27 at the Los Angeles Grand Prix. He threw 23.56 meters. The 30-year-old said this was because of a new technique he developed. He calls it the "step-across." This method adds a side-stepping motion in the throwing circle. It helps him get better balance and power. On July 9, Ryan won another national shot put title at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. This qualified him to represent the United States at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Before he left for Budapest, a medical check found two blood clots in his legs. He had to take medicine to thin his blood to reduce risks while competing. In Budapest, Ryan won his second world title. He set a World Championship record by throwing 23.51 meters. Ryan finished his season at the Prefontaine Classic on September 17. There, he had his first loss of the year to Joe Kovacs. After the season, World Athletics named Ryan a finalist for World Athlete of the Year.

2024: Gold Medals in Glasgow and Paris

In February, Ryan won his fourth national indoor shot put title at the 2024 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Albuquerque. He threw 22.80 meters. This throw qualified him for the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championship. There, he threw 22.77 meters to win his first World Indoor Championship. Ryan's throw was 70 cm farther than the second-place finisher, Tom Walsh. At the 2024 Olympic Trials in June, Ryan won his seventh national shot put title. He beat Joe Kovacs and earned another spot in the Olympic Games.

At the 2024 Olympic Games, Ryan won the shot put. He became the first athlete to win gold medals in the event at three Olympics in a row. This victory came after Ryan had dealt with an injury earlier in the year. Marcus Thompson from The Athletic wrote that this win was "extra special" because Ryan had thought his career might be over.

Training and Coaching

Ryan Crouser's training includes 20- to 40-meter sprints three times a week. He also does three weekly sessions of jumping exercises like box jumps. These help him improve his quickness and power. He uses an agility ladder to make his footwork better. For shot put, he practices four to five times a week. Each session involves 20 to 40 throws and lasts 90 to 120 minutes. Ryan uses training ideas from MMA (mixed martial arts) and baseball pitching. He focuses on how these sports use turning power and body movements. This helps him throw the shot put with more speed and energy. He also uses radar technology to improve his throws. This technology is usually used by golfers. It helps Ryan measure the angle and speed of his throws.

For food, Ryan eats about 5,500 to 6,000 calories every day during competition season. He eats five meals, each about 1,000 calories. He also has snacks to keep his energy levels steady. His meals are mostly lean proteins like chicken and ground beef, along with brown rice and quinoa. In an interview with GQ, he talked about how much food he needs for his 6’7” (201 cm) and 320-pound (145 kg) body. He said, "Food is almost a part of training for me. I'm eating on a set schedule that makes sure I never get hungry." He also told New York Times that he drinks 16 ounces of milk after each of his five daily meals. This means he drinks half a gallon of milk a day.

In December 2019, Ryan moved from the United States Olympic Training Center in San Diego. He moved to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. There, he became a volunteer coach for the men's track and field team. Ryan has said that coaching college students helps him stay excited about competing and keeps him positive. In March 2024, he said, "It can be helpful to have the college kids there for perspective. I was in their shoes once, and look at far how I've come." At the 2024 Summer Olympics, one of his Razorback students, Rojé Stona, broke the Olympic record in the men's discus throw and won the gold medal.

Achievements

All statistics from athlete's profile on World Athletics, unless otherwise noted.

Crouser on the podium after winning the Zagreb Diamond League meeting in 2018

Crouser prepares to throw the shot put at 2022 World Championships in Eugene

International Championships

Achievements at international championships

Year	Competition	Event	Distance	Position
2009	World Youth Championships	Shot put	21.56 m (70 ft 8.69389764 in)
	World Youth Championships	Discus	61.64 m (202 ft 2.64665355 in)
2016	Summer Olympics	Shot put	22.52 m (73 ft 10.48917323 in)
2017	World Championships	Shot put	21.20 m (69 ft 6.52066930 in)	6th
2018	IAAF Continental Cup	Shot put	21.63 m (70 ft 11.44980315 in)	5th
2019	World Championships	Shot put	22.90 m (75 ft 1.44980315 in)
2021	Summer Olympics	Shot put	23.30 m (76 ft 5.19783465 in)
2022	World Indoor Championships	Shot put	22.44 m (73 ft 7.33956693 in)
	World Championships	Shot put	22.94 m (75 ft 3+1⁄4 in)
2023	World Championships	Shot put	23.51m (77 ft 1+1⁄2 in)
2024	World Indoor Championships	Shot put	22.71m (74 ft 8+1⁄2in)
	Summer Olympics	Shot put	22.90m (75 ft 1+1⁄2in)

National Championships

Achievements at national championships

Year	Competition	Event	Distance	Position
2008	USA Youth Outdoor Championships	Shot put	17.48 m (57 ft 4.06397638 in)
	USA Youth Outdoor Championships	Discus	54.94 m (180 ft 2.86712599 in)
2009	World Youth Trials	Shot put	21.55 m (70 ft 8.30019685 in)
	World Youth Trials	Discus	63.33 m (207 ft 9.18208662 in)
2016	United States Olympic Trials	Shot put	22.11 m (72 ft 6.34744095 in)
2017	USA Outdoor Championships	Shot put	22.65 m (74 ft 3.60728347 in)
2018	USA Outdoor Championships	Shot put	20.99 m (68 ft 10.25295276 in)
2019	USA Outdoor Championships	Shot put	22.62 m (74 ft 21⁄2 in)
	USA Indoor Championships	Shot put	22.22 m (72 ft 103⁄4 in)
2020	USA Indoor Championships	Shot put	22.60 m (74 ft 13⁄4 in)
2021	USA Outdoor Championships	Shot put	23.37 m (76 ft 81⁄4 in)
	United States Olympic Trials
2022	USA Outdoor Championships	Shot put	23.12 m (75 ft 10 in)
	USA Indoor Championships	Shot put	22.75 m (74 ft 72⁄3 in)
2023	USA Outdoor Championships	Shot put	22.86 m (75 ft 0 in)
2024	USA Indoor Championships	Shot put	22.80 m (74 ft 93⁄4 in)
	USA Outdoor Championships	Shot put	22.84 m (74 ft 112⁄9 in)

NCAA Championships

Achievements at NCAA championships

Year	Competition	Event	Distance	Position
2012	NCAA Division I Indoor Championships	Shot put	19.94 m (65 ft 4.91437008 in)	5th
	Big 12 Conference Indoor Championships	Shot put	19.90 m (65 ft 3.33956693 in)
	Big 12 Conference Outdoor Championships	Shot put	17.78 m (58 ft 3.87500000 in)	7th
		Discus	56.01 m (183 ft 8.99311024 in)	5th
	NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships	Shot put	18.50 m (60 ft 8.22145670 in)	16th
		Discus	59.77 m (196 ft 1.02460630 in)	4th
2013	Big 12 Conference Outdoor Championships	Shot put	21.09 m (69 ft 2.18996063 in)
		Discus	55.42 m (181 ft 9.76476378 in)
	NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships	Shot put	20.31 m (66 ft 7.48129922 in)
		Discus	59.21 m (194 ft 2.97736221 in)	8th
2014	Big 12 Conference Indoor Championships	Shot put	20.63 m (67 ft 8.07972441 in)
	NCAA Division I Indoor Championships	Shot put	21.21 m (69 ft 6.91437008 in)
	Big 12 Conference Indoor Championships	Shot put	21.39 m (70 ft 2.00098426 in)
		Discus	63.90 m (209 ft 7.62303150 in)
	NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships	Shot put	21.12 m (69 ft 3.37106300 in)
2015	Big 12 Conference Indoor Championships	Shot put	21.14 m (69 ft 4.15846457 in)
	NCAA Division I Indoor Championships	Shot put	20.93 m (68 ft 7.89074804 in)
	Big 12 Conference Outdoor Championships	Shot put	20.52 m (67 ft 3.74901575 in)
		Discus	58.92 m (193 ft 3.56003937 in)
	NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships	Shot put	19.99 m (65 ft 6.88287402 in)	5th
		Discus	60.18 m (197 ft 5.16633859 in)	5th
2016	Big 12 Conference Indoor Championships	Shot put	21.73 m (71 ft 3.38681103 in)
	NCAA Division I Indoor Championships	Shot put	21.28 m (69 ft 9.67027559 in)

World Athletics Rankings

Key:       World record (in bold)

Awards

• Night of Legends Award 2021: Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year

See also

In Spanish: Ryan Crouser para niños