Championship record earns Ryan Crouser first World Indoor gold

GLASGOW, Scotland – Ryan Crouser collected his first gold medal in the shot put at a World Athletics Indoor Championships with a Championship record toss of 74 feet, 8.5 inches (22.77).

“I’m happy tonight,” stated Crouser, who trains in Fayetteville. “This is a big stepping stone towards the Olympics. In the middle of the winter, you need to have a moment when you think there is just six weeks to a major championships.

“It’s great to get a championships record. My strength is very good. I’m excited about what I can throw this season.”

Entering the competition with a world-leading mark of 74-9.75 (22.80) from his victory at USATF Indoor, Crouser produced a series of marks in which four efforts would have claimed the win.

The World Indoor gold medal joins the pair of Olympic golds and World Outdoor golds Crouser has claimed in recent years.

Crouser bettered the Championship record of 73-11 (22.53) set in 2022 by Brazil’s Darian Romani and produced the No. 3 world performance all-time indoors behind his world record of 74-10.5 (22.82) set in 2021 as well as his world-leading mark from this season.

The series for Crouser included marks of 73-4.5 (22.36), foul, 72-2.25 (22.00), 73-10.25 (22.51), 74-8.5 (22.77), and 74-5.5 (22.69).

Runner-up in the competition was New Zealand’s Tom Walsh, who was celebrating his 32nd birthday, with a mark of 72-5 (22.07) to earn his fifth World Indoor medal. Walsh previously won World Indoor titles in 2016 and 2018 while placing third in 2014 and 2022.