"Proud of this one"- Ryan Crouser celebrates his progress after performing 250kg front squat ahead of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials 2024

American track and field icon Ryan Crouser left fans in awe as he squatted 250 kg ahead of his preparations for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials. Pleased with his progress, he shared the video of his workout on social media.

Crouser, 31, is one of the most successful track and field athletes in the shot put domain, with two world championships and two Olympic titles under his belt. He has also clinched a Diamond League Trophy.

Back in his early days, he used to be a dominant force in collegiate competitions, as the athlete has claimed four NCAA shot put titles and has achieved All-American status a staggering nine times.

Now, Ryan Crouser is sweating it out in the training camps to participate in his third consecutive Summer Games in July. He shared a glimpse of his preparations with his fans through a captivating video that captured him squatting 250 kg while his friends could be heard hyping him up in the background.

Crouser shared the video on his Instagram handle on Saturday, June 8, and wrote:

"Proud of this one! Been after the elusive 250kg front squat for 7 years, finally got it!"

However, the Oregon-based athlete has yet to qualify for the Paris Olympics and to secure his spot in the French event, he needs to finish at least in the top three at the upcoming 2024 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials happening in Eugene, Oregon, from June 21 to 30.

Coming from a lineage of throwers, Ryan Crouser sheds light on smashing the world record

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Ryan Crouser's throwing legacy traces back to his father, Mitch, an established discus thrower and shot putter in his collegiate days. While his uncle Brian represented the United States twice in the Olympics, in 1988 in Seoul and 1992 in Barcelona, his other uncle, Dean, was also a collegiate thrower.

Crouser continued the family legacy and achieved massive success in the shot put, so much so that he broke the outdoor shot put world record twice. In 2021, during the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, he shattered Olympian Randy Barnes' 30-year-old record with a throw of 23.37 meters. He bettered his previous record last year with a throw of 23.56 meters at the Los Angeles Grand Prix.

Talking about his world records, Ryan Crouser said (via Olympics.com):

"That feeling of being the best you've ever been when you set a [personal best] is so special; that's what pushes me. I'm at a special point now where when you are the world record holder, if you throw a PR, it's a new world record. So that is a special feeling."