by Sam FarissAt RunBlogRun, we like to give you, our kind and supportive readers, and viewers, a wide breadth of comments and opinions. We are pleased to be working with 4 young writers, thoughtfully observed by Lori Shontz, Professor of Practice/ Journalism and Communications at the University of Oregon. We have worked with Lori before to seek out thoughts of young writers on the sport and media at Olympic Trials.
This piece on Ryan Crouser was written by Sam Fariss.
When I asked Sam Fariss to provide something that Sam wanted our readers to know, this was what was emailed:
“Ever since I watched Sanya Richards-Ross (I was raised a huge UT Longhorns fan) run in the Olympics, I’ve wanted to be a part of the sports world – whether that meant competing in or covering them!”
Ryan Crouser, pushing the steel orb farther and farther, photo by Kevin Morris /Kevmofoto
Ryan Crouser surpasses Randy Barnes’ long standing record
By Sam Fariss
SOJC Track Bureau for RunBlogRun
EUGENE, Ore. – After 132 throws beyond the 22-meter mark, Ryan Crouser is finally a world record holder. Crouser threw an astounding 23.37 meters, or 76 feet, 8 ¼ inches, on his fourth throw of the men’s shot put finals Friday at the Olympic Trials.
“Finally getting out of my way, I felt 10 pounds lighter when it popped up on the reader in front of me,” Crouser said.
As Crouser launched his fourth attempt, he threw his hands above his head in celebration as soon as the ball was in the air. He already knew it was good.
“To do it at the new Hayward Field … felt really special,” he said. “To be here in front of friends and family … definitely means a lot.”
Crouser had gone since Winter 2019 without seeing his family, which made this occasion even more memorable for him.
Crouser had already set a world record this season, earning himself the indoor shot put crown in January. But he said that this record meant more.
Randy Barnes had held the world record since 1990, when he threw 23.12 meters (75 feet, 10 ¼ inches) at a meet in Los Angeles. Later that year, however, Barnes was banned from track and field after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
“All I can say is that with the regimen of drug testing we go through, I am happy that the world record is under the system that we are under,” Crouser said.
There has been talk about the possibility of Crouser breaking Barnes’ record since the 2016 Olympics when Crouser won gold with a throw of 22.52 meters, an Olympic record.
“There wasn’t really one point where I was like, ‘OK, I can do this’… it was really from when I started it was always a dream,” Crouser said.
