Ryan Crouser sets Olympic record, wins gold in shot put

Ezra Siegel

August 19, 2016

Senior thrower Ryan Crouser became the latest Longhorn to take home a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro Thursday.

He captured first place and shattered an Olympic record with a 22.52-meter throw in the shot put. German thrower Ulf Timmerman set the previous record of 22.47 meters in Seoul, South Korea in 1988.

Crouser’s victory marked a sweep in the shot put for the Longhorns — Texas-Ex Michelle Carter took home the gold medal in the women’s event.

Crouser is already a four-time NCAA shot put champion heading into his final year at Texas. The senior also set a collegiate record with a 21.73-meter throw at the Big 12 Indoor Championships in February.

The Longhorns’ gold medal count is now up to seven, with five from swimming and diving and two from track and field.