"If the crowd is louder, then we'll have bigger throws" - Ryan Crouser hopeful of breaking his own world record at Paris Olympics 2024

Ryan Crouser will be one of the biggest field stars of the American athletics contingent at the Paris Olympics, and he thinks the crowd will play a big role in making the outing a memorable one. The shot put athlete will enter the Games as the two-time defending Olympic champion, with a strong chance of becoming the only three-time gold medalist in the men's event.

Crouser first tasted Olympic glory as a 24-year-old at the 2016 Rio Games. There, he outdid reigning World Champion and compatriot Joe Kovan to win gold with a throw of 22.52m. The American followed this up with an Olympic record throw of 23.00m at the Tokyo Games to clinch his second consecutive gold at the marquee event.

Now, Ryan Crouser will enter the Paris Olympics as the defending World and Olympic champion, as well as the current world record-holder of the event. Speaking to Athletics Weekly about the possibility of resetting his own record at the Games, the American said the crowd will play a role in his motivation.

"I know it has a chance of being a world record [in the shot put] before it even leaves my hand. If I can make it through the 'don't mess it up phase', I know I'll be in pretty good shape. If the world record comes it'll be in the later rounds. If the crowd is louder then we'll have bigger throws.”

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How many times has Ryan Crouser broken the world record?

Before the Tokyo Olympics, Ryan Crouser established himself as a heavy favorite to retain his title early in the year. In January of 2021, the American achieved a throw of 22.82m, setting a new indoor world record.

Six months later, Crouser gave yet another dominant performance when he recorded a world record throw of 23.37m at the U.S Olympic Trials, bettering Randy Barnes’ three-decade-old record by 0.25m.

Two years after this, Ryan Crouser scripted history at the Los Angeles Grand Prix, throwing a distance of 23.56m to best his own world record.

Now, the 31-year-old will head to the Paris Olympics as a two-time World and Olympic champion, as well as the current world record-holder. Crouser remains a heavy favorite for a third gold as fans excitedly wait and see if he can rewrite the world record for the third time on the way.