"I was relatively pain-free"- Ryan Crouser opens up on qualifying for the Paris Olympics after elbow surgery

American shot putter and discus thrower Ryan Crouser, who recently underwent elbow surgery, opened up on qualifying for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024. On June 22, the 31-year-old won his seventh U.S. outdoor national title at the U.S. Olympics Track and Field Trials.

Oregon native Ryan Crouser is the reigning world champion in shot put. The two-time Olympic gold medalist also boasts himself as the world record holder in both indoors and outdoors. Crouser has been holding the indoor record of 22.82 m since January 2021. His outdoor record of 23.56 meters was achieved in May 2023.

Recently, he made his 2024 outdoor season opener at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon. The athlete who has been healing from his sore elbow and torn pectoral muscle injury, qualified to make it to his third Olympics. On Saturday, Crouser threw an impressive 22.84 meters in the shot put event to win the gold medal. His winning mark came after his fourth throw of the day, which was also recognized as the season’s best.

After booking his seat for the Paris Olympics, Crouser described his winning throw that he launched while healing from his elbow and pectoral injuries. He told Citius Mag in an interview:

"Initially towards the end, I was thinking about passing throws, but I was relatively pain-free and I felt like I was learning something each round. I backed off the intensity a little bit and tried to throw relatively more efficiently and focus on correcting errors that I was making.”

His counterparts Joe Kovas and Payton Otterdahl recorded 22.43m and 22.26m, respectively, to win the silver and the bronze medal.

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Ryan Crouser on dealing with self-doubt and overcoming his injuries

Ryan Crouser at 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field - Day 2

Ryan Crouser injured the ulnar nerve in his throwing elbow in March at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow. A month later, while he was healing from his elbow mishap, he injured his pectoral muscle from a bench-pressing activity.

Remembering his elbow injury and the self-doubt that came along with it, he explained to The Athletics:

“I mean, you’re dealing with a lot of self-doubt."

Crouser continued:

“Elbow stuff for a shot-putter, it can be really difficult. I would try and throw, wouldn’t be able to, and then I’d have to spend a week rehabbing to try and throw again. … At the back of your mind, it’s like, ‘Man, at 31, am I ever going to get past this?’”

His pec injury had shut him down from practice for a month. Therefore, he decided to undergo ultrasound-guided nerve hydro dissection, a procedure that would treat his elbow and pec muscle simultaneously. He told in the interview:

“As the ulnar (nerve) travels through the elbow,” he said, “(we’re) just trying to get space so it can move. So that has helped a lot. But yeah, I don’t recommend that to anyone. Super uncomfortable.”

With his qualification at the trials, Ryan Crouser can now aim to become the first man to win three straight shot put Olympic gold medals.