Olympic champion Ryan Crouser smashes shot put meeting record

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Olympic champion Ryan Crouser continued his unbeaten 2020 campaign at the Hanzekovic Memorial, winning the shot put at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting with a Croatian all-comers' record of 22.74m.

Crouser, who won in Zagreb in 2016 with a meeting record of 22.28m and triumphed again in 2018, on Monday opened with 21.03m, but it was still enough to take an early lead. David Storl took a short-lived lead in the second round with 21.20m, then world champion Joe Kovacs took a turn in top spot with 21.30m, but Crouser jumped back into pole position with 22.10m to close out round two, according to a report in World Athletics.

Crouser then came out with an almighty throw of 22.74m in round three to extend his lead, adding 46 centimetres to his own meeting record.

After a foul in the fourth round, the US thrower came close to his leading mark with 22.59m in round five. He rounded out his series with 22.31m, another throw beyond his previous meeting record.

"I was really happy with the night, that's one of my top-10 throws," said Crouser. "I was a little disappointed that I didn't throw a little bit further, I was really hoping for the 23. I think there is still a 23-metre throw there; I just have to let it happen," he added.