Crouser Cruises Through Shot Put Prelims in Search of Second Straight World Championship

Ryan Crouser, the holder of the world record for the shot put, needed only one attempt to advance to the finals of the world championships, where he was scheduled to defend his title on Saturday evening.

Crouser qualified for the 12-man final with a throw of 21.48 meters (70 feet, 5 3/4 inches) in a rain-soaked ring at Hungary’s National Athletics Centre. The American, who posted on social media this week that he was suffering from two blood clots in his lower leg, has twice eclipsed the world record in the past 26 months. The current value is 23.56.

The 20-kilometer men’s race walk, the first medal event of the nine-day championships, was delayed by a thunderstorm. The race was won in 1 hour, 17 minutes, and 32 seconds by lvaro Martin, who finished fourth and missed the medal stand by 18 seconds at the Tokyo Games two years ago.

“When I was in fourth place in Tokyo, I believed I could win a medal,” he said. “Unfortunately, it did not occur, which is why this gold medal is the next step towards the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris”

The American mixed relay team comfortably won its 4×400 heat, allowing Gabby Thomas to compete for the first of a possible four medals on Saturday evening. The 200-meter sprinter stated that she intends to participate in all three relays: mixed, women’s 4×100, and women’s 4×400.

Thomas, the Olympic bronze medalist at 200 meters who was absent from last year’s worlds due to a hamstring injury that slowed her during U.S. nationals, stated, “I’m trying to make up for missed medals last year.”

The deluge slightly compressed Sifan Hassan’s schedule. Hassan, who is attempting to earn medals in the 1,500, 5,000, and 10,000 meters as she did in Tokyo two years ago, won her first-round heat in the 1,500 meters and faced a six-hour turnaround before the 10,000-meter final.