Crouser smashes world mark, Walsh second

American Ryan Crouser shattered his own world shot put record in Los Angeles yesterday to leave Kiwi rival Tom Walsh, among others, in his dust.

As he has become used to, Walsh had to play second fiddle to Crouser at the USATF Los Angeles grand prix meet as the world and Olympic champion obliterated his global record of 23.37 metres, set in 2021 at the US Olympic trials, with a mammoth fourth-round throw of 23.56m.

Crouser’s series, which produced three of the six farthest shot puts of all time, showed the dominance the 2.01m, 145kg colossus holds in the sport. He opened with 23.23m, nudged out to 23.31 in his second round, had 22.94 in the third and then followed his world record heave at UCLA’s Drake Stadium with 22.80m and 22.86.

Walsh, the former world champion and twotime Olympic bronze medallist, produced a season’s best effort of 22.12m in the second round to finish second, ahead of American Payton Otterdahl (21.99m). It was the Cantab’s best throw since his 22.26m to win Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham last year.

The Kiwi’s series was 22.08m, 22.12, 21.58, two fouls and 21.91 to finish.

Crouser had earlier in the year thrown what he thought was a world record 23.38m indoors in Pocatello, Idaho, only to have the mark ruled out because the throwing arena did not meet specifications set by World Athletics.

Meanwhile New Zealand’s Maddie-Lee Wesche finished fifth in the women’s shot put at the same LA meet with a season’s best throw of 19.18m. That was 5cm further than she threw to win the national title in Wellington in March.

American Maggie Ewen won the event with a world lead and PB of 20.45m, upsetting world champion and compatriot Chase Ealey who had to settle for second with 19.98m. Jamaica’s Danniel Thomas-Dodd was third with a national record 19.77m.