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| Ryan Crouser | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ryan Crouser |
| Birth date | 18 December 1992 |
| Birth place | Folsom, California, United States |
| Height | 2.01 m |
| Weight | 145 kg |
| Sport | Track and field |
| Event | Shot put |
| Coach | Art Venegas |
Ryan Crouser
Ryan Crouser is an American athlete specializing in the shot put who holds world records and Olympic championships. He emerged from California to prominence at Portland State University and later University of Texas at El Paso, competing internationally for the United States at multiple editions of the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, and IAAF Continental Cup. Crouser has been coached by figures from the United States Olympic Committee and trained alongside elite throwers from institutions such as University of Oregon and Texas A&M University.
Crouser was born in Folsom, California and grew up in a family involved in track and field and American football; his father competed collegiately and worked in athletics while his mother supported youth sports. He attended Centennial High School (El Dorado Hills, California) where he competed in shot put and discus throw alongside peers who went on to attend programs at University of California, Los Angeles, University of Southern California, and Stanford University. After high school he matriculated at Texas Christian University briefly before transferring to University of Texas at El Paso and later training with coaching staff connected to University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Arizona State University.
At the collegiate level Crouser competed in the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, earning titles and All-America honors while representing programs that competed against teams such as University of Florida, University of Oregon, Louisiana State University, and University of Southern California. He won national championships and set collegiate records that put him in league with former NCAA champions like Randy Barnes, John Godina, and Reese Hoffa. Crouser’s development occurred under coaches who had worked with elite throwers from Penn State University, Ohio State University, and University of Iowa, and his collegiate performances attracted attention from the USA Track & Field community and talent scouts affiliated with Nike and New Balance.
Turning professional, Crouser signed sponsorships and began competing on the IAAF Diamond League circuit against top competitors from Germany, Poland, New Zealand, and Great Britain. He claimed national titles at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and represented professional clubs in meets hosted by organizations such as European Athletics and national federations including UK Athletics and Athletics Canada. His professional season highlights included victories at meets in Eugene, Oregon, Monaco, Berlin, and Diamond League Final settings alongside rivals like Joe Kovacs, Tom Walsh, and Tomasz Majewski.
Crouser competed for the United States at the Olympic Games, winning gold medals at the 2016 Summer Olympics, 2020 Summer Olympics, and participating in World Athletics Championships where he medaled against fielders from Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, and Australia. He set an Olympic record during his medal-winning campaigns and contested finals at continental events such as the Pan American Games and invitational meets organized by the IAAF. Crouser’s international appearances often included competition at global championships where athletes from Germany, Poland, New Zealand, Canada, and China also vied for podium positions.
Crouser is known for a combination of rotational and glide-influenced power, training methodologies influenced by coaches with backgrounds at Brigham Young University, UCLA, and University of Florida. He set multiple records including a world record throw, surpassing marks held by past record-holders like Randy Barnes and Ryan Whiting, and established continental and national bests recognized by World Athletics. His training incorporates weightlifting traditions from programs at Olympic Training Center (Colorado Springs) and technical work derived from biomechanics research at institutions such as Penn State University and University of Southern California.
Off the field Crouser has connections to athletic communities in Oregon, Texas, and California, and has appeared at events associated with organizations like Special Olympics and charitable initiatives supported by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. He is known to train with colleagues who have ties to LSU, University of Tennessee, and Arkansas Razorbacks programs, and maintains relationships with coaches and sports scientists affiliated with USA Track & Field and the International Olympic Committee. Crouser’s interests include strength conditioning informed by research from National Strength and Conditioning Association and participation in outreach that brings youth athletes into pathways linked to collegiate programs such as University of Washington and University of Michigan.
Category:American male shot putters Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States