All of Crouser's six official throws of 2025 came Saturday night: one in qualifying and five in finals. He has been nursing an elbow injury and hadn't competed in a global or national event all year. His throw of 22.34 meters (73 feet, 3½ inches) was good for the most unlikely gold medal of his remarkable career. He joined Switzerland's Werner Günthör as the second man to win three straight shot put titles.
Evan Dunfee of Canada and Spanish defending champion Maria Perez prevailed in suffocating Tokyo humidity to win the first gold medals of the 20th World Athletics Championships in the 35-km walks on Saturday. Dunfee, the pain of the gruelling effort in tough conditions etched on his face, crossed the line at the National Stadium in two hours, 28 minutes and 22 seconds to claim his first global title.
I understand that it will be disappointing for some track fans to hear this news, but I've finally come to the realization that it's OK to be human and take care of myself, Thomas said in a press release on Tuesday. As an athlete you always want to keep grinding, but sometimes you simply can't outwork an injury. Sometimes it's about patience and making the right decision for the long term. All the best to my Team USA teammates fighting for medals in Tokyo.