Ryan Crouser leads U.S. to historic first sweep of shot put podium at world track and field championships

EUGENE, Oregon — It was, American Ryan Crouser said, worth the wait. And to make it even sweeter, he got to celebrate with his teammates.

Crouser finally won an elusive world championship in the shot put on Sunday night at the track and field world championships, heaving the shot 75 feet, 3¼ inches on his final throw to take the gold.

It was the first time any country had swept the shot put podium at the world championships, with Joe Kovacs throwing 75 feet, 1¼ inches for silver and Josh Awotunde tossing a personal-best 73 feet, 1¾ inches for bronze. And it came the day after American Chase Ealey won gold in the women’s shot put, also a first for the U.S.

“We’ve talked about a Team USA sweep for a long time in the shot put, we’ve known it was possible because we’ve been so dominant in the event,” Crouser said. “It was an honor to be a part of it.”

Crouser, who won the gold medal at both the 2016 Olympics and last summer’s Tokyo Games, had previously come up short — literally — in multiple world championships, both indoor and outdoor. Though he owns seven of the top 10 throws all time, he did not have a world championship before Sunday, an absence on his resume that often resulted in some good-natured teasing from fellow throwers.

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Winning the title at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon was special for Crouser. A native Oregonian from a family full of world-class throwers, Crouser grew up throwing at Hayward — he competed here for the first time at age 12 — and won multiple state high school championships here.

“To come back 17 years later and win the world championship, they joked that I was cursed and that it wasn’t in the cards, but it was worth the wait to finally secure that title in front of friends and family in a place that feels like home,” Crouser said. “It was such a special moment.”

Field events often play second fiddle to what’s happening on the track, but Sunday, with a local vying for a medal, it was different. Crouser had the crowd wrapped around his finger, silently asking the crowd to simmer down when he put his finger to his lips before his final throw. Then he led fans in rhythmic clapping before unleashing the throw that put him in front of Kovacs. Throughout the night, there were cries of “Come on, Ryan!” from onlookers rooting on the local star.

“It was the best shot-putting atmosphere I’ve ever seen,” Crouser said as Kovacs and Awotunde nodded in agreement. “It was awesome to see the enthusiasm and the spotlight be on the shot put … it was awesome to let it be front and center.”

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The Crouser clan was out in force Sunday night to cheer on the one who has reached heights unlike any other in their family. Crouser is coached by his father, Mitch, a discus specialist who was an alternate on the 1984 Olympic team. Uncles Dean and Brian were also accomplished throwers, with Brian competing on two Olympic teams. Additionally, Dean’s children (and Ryan’s cousins), Sam and Haley, were both NCAA javelin stars. And while they were all pulling hard for Ryan, America sweeping the shot was cause for celebration for the family. After the medals were secured, no one was going crazier in the stands than Mitch Crouser.

“I think he was more excited for Awotunde than he was for me to be honest, he hugged Awotunde before he hugged me,” Ryan Crouser said, laughing.

Both Crouser and Kovacs praised the record-setting day for Awontunde, who threw three personal records in fighting his way to bronze.

“To do this in the U.S. on American soil, it’s an amazing feeling,” Kovacs said. “It’s something we’ve always talked about and today, we finally executed it.

“I’ve never seen three American flags at the same time. It’s a really awesome moment.”

After winning gold in Tokyo, because of strict COVID rules, Crouser wasn't allowed to go out and celebrate - he just went back to his room and reflected on his accomplishment, alone. But after Sunday's win, with many of his family members in town, he planned to head to a local bar that's known as a track and field hangout - which he acknowledged would only happen here, in the city nicknamed TrackTown, USA.

Worth the wait, indeed.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Track and field world championships: Ryan Crouser leads shot put sweep