Ryan Crouser thought at one point this year that his legendary shot put career might be over.
Instead, he proved Saturday that he’s still the world’s best. Even after nearly five months out of competition and still throwing in pain due to a long-term elbow injury.
Crouser won his third consecutive world outdoor title on the first day of the nine-day World Track and Field Championships in Tokyo, becoming the fourth American to win six global outdoor titles (worlds and Olympics) in any individual event.
He capped a difficult year, dealing with an elbow tear that he competed through in 2024. An MRI showed arthritis, bone spurs and a compromised joint capsule. It was treated with PRP injections.
TRACK AND FIELD WORLDS: Results | Broadcast Schedule
“There was a block of time where it looked like it might be kind of the end of my throwing career,” Crouser told Lewis Johnson on NBC Sports. “It went from not just how do I get back to throwing, but how do I have a functional elbow for the rest of my life?”
The other Americans to win six combined Olympic and world outdoor titles were Carl Lewis in the long jump, Michael Johnson in the 400m and Christian Taylor in the triple jump. Crouser, who also won the last three Olympic titles, is the first American to win three titles each at the Olympics and outdoor worlds.
He did so Saturday with the shortest winning throw of those six titles — 22.34 meters — but still distanced silver medalist Uziel Munoz (21.97), who became the first Mexican to win a world medal in any throwing event.
“A lot of times when I’m throwing well, I know exactly how far it’s going,” Crouser said. “Tonight, I didn’t really have that feeling quite so much because I just don’t have those high-intensity reps.”
Crouser, a 32-year-old known for doing more coaching than being coached, owns the five farthest throws in history, including the world record of 23.56 meters from 2023. In this unprecedented run of five consecutive years with an Olympics or world championships, Crouser won all five.
He went into these worlds having not competed since April and not thrown in traditional competition since Sept. 14, 2024.
Crouser rated his pain while throwing Saturday at a three or four out of 10, but milder than earlier in the year.
"(The elbow) is on the road to recovery,” he said. “It held up decently tonight. It’s going to be sore tomorrow. ... Not perfect technically, not in great physical shape, but managed to scrap out a win.”
He’s no stranger to victory through adversity. In 2023, Crouser won worlds with two blood clots in his left leg.
Also Saturday, Kenyan Beatrice Chebet added her first world title to her Olympic gold and world record in the 10,000m.
Chebet emerged from among a group of four in the final 200 meters, clocking 30 minutes, 37.61 seconds and beating Italian Nadia Battocletti by 62 hundredths of a second in a repeat of their Olympic one-two.
Next Saturday, Chebet is expected to go head-to-head in the 5000m with fellow Kenyan Faith Kipyegon, the Olympic and world champion and world record holder in the 1500m. Chebet and Kipyegon went one-two in the Olympic 5000m.
The U.S. quartet of Bryce Deadmon, Lynna Irby-Jackson, Jenoah McKiver and Alexis Holmes won the mixed-gender 4x400m relay by 1.16 seconds over a Femke Bol-anchored Dutch team. It was a reversal of the Olympic one-two.
Sha’Carri Richardson, Noah Lyles open 100m defenses
In preliminary action, all of the favorites advanced to Sunday’s women’s and men’s 100m semifinals. The finals are also Sunday in a session starting at 5:30 a.m. ET on CNBC and Peacock.
The women’s qualifiers include reigning Olympic gold medalist Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia (10.93 seconds), defending world champion Sha’Carri Richardson (11.03) and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (10.99), the world’s fastest woman of 2025. Plus five-time world 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica (11.09), who says this is her last meet before retiring.
Men’s 100m advancers include reigning Olympic and world champion Noah Lyles (9.95), Olympic silver medalist Kishane Thompson of Jamaica (9.95), U.S. champion Kenny Bednarek (10.01) and Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Marcell Jacobs of Italy (10.20).
In the 3000m steeplechase, Olympic silver medalist Kenneth Rooks was eliminated in the first round. Rooks said he dealt with SI joint issues on and off since the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in early August and that he had congestion the last two days.
In the 35km race walks, the first medal events of the nine-day worlds, Canadian Evan Dunfee earned his first global title in his 13th career senior individual global championship race. Maria Perez of Spain repeated as women’s world champion.
