"She's a firecracker"- Ryan Crouser chooses Sha'Carri Richardson as his fellow passenger for flight to Paris Olympics 2024

Famous American track and field athlete Ryan Crouser mentioned current 100-meter world champion Sha'Carri Richardson as his preferred seatmate for his trip to the upcoming Olympics in Paris, calling her the "firecracker."

Crouser is on a bid to become the first shot put athlete to clinch three consecutive Olympic golds if he manages to win one at the upcoming edition of the quadrenniel event in July.

He is already a well-established figure in field events for the United States, having secured two world championship titles, two Olympic golds in shot put. He also has a Diamond League final appearance.

The 31-year-old is currently preparing for the upcoming 2024 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials scheduled from June 21 to June 30 at Oregon's Hayward Field Stadium, Eugene. He is considered one of the favorites to make it to the Olympics. In response to a hypothetical question about who he would pick to sit next to if he were flying to Paris tomorrow, he said:

"Teammate next to, on the plane to Paris. That's a tough one, we're going to choose somebody small. Probably Sha'Carri [Richardson]. She is a firecracker and she's entertaining and she doesn't take up a ton of space."

Team USA uploaded a video of the discussion mentioned above to their Instagram account, stating:

"Tickets are booking up…"

---

Crouser's Olympic three peat aspirations

World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 2024 - Day One

Crouser is one of the most dominant throwers on the circuit, as he has broken the outdoor shot put world record twice in his career. He broke Randy Barnes' 30-year-old record at the Olympic trials in 2021 (23.37 meters). He again surpassed his record at the 2023 Los Angeles Grand Prix with a throw of 23.56 meters.

All these exceptional performances have positioned him as the top contender for the shot put title at the Paris Olympics, and he is currently preparing for a three-peat at the upcoming spectacle in France. In reference to the same, he stated that he knows when to push himself and is conscious of his boundaries. He stated (via WDHN):

"This sport constantly changes and adapts, especially as you get older. You have to know when to push the envelope and when to know when it’s not quite there. and just because it’s not there today doesn’t mean it won’t be there tomorrow."