It is hardly the lead-in to the Paris Games the stand-out shot putter in the world would have wanted.

"It's easy to press the panic button. This year has been limited but I'm rounding into shape. I'm happy with how things are progressing, with the ultimate goal being the Paris Olympics. There's been a general upward trend since the trials so I'm excited about that,” Crouser said to AFP ahead of the Diamond League meet in London, the final outing before travelling to France for the Olympics.

Those trials, Crouser admitted, had been "very stressful" as he battled injury concerns to qualify for Paris, while acknowledging he only had himself to blame.

"It's been a frustrating year, to say the least. As an athlete, you dream about your preparation for the Olympics going perfectly, all the work that's going to go in, all the work that's going to pay off,” said the two-time outdoor world champion.

"I probably did a little bit of over-training. I write my own programmes —I’m my own coach. And at 31 years of age, I probably didn't want to admit that I have to slow things down a little bit from when I was 25 or 26. So all of it's on me! I'm my own coach, I can't blame him for anything! It's been a learning process."

Back from ground zero

Crouser, who comes from a family of throwers said measuring his progress from what felt like nearly ground zero was not optimal. "But it takes a certain mindset to realise I am progressing, I am moving in the right direction and I'm taking that as the small win it is," he said. Crouser previously won Olympic golds in Rio in 2016 and the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games, but said he was looking forward to Paris.

"I'd like to think I've grown a lot as an individual and an athlete since my first Games," he said, having skipped graduation to make the trip to Rio for just his third professional meet."

"Tokyo felt like a bit of a pressure cooker. There was the situation mentally of just working around the pandemic, Covid testing every morning and hoping you didn't get the call, as (US pole vaulter) Sam Kendricks did and he was in my same suite. This is one I'm excited for simply because the crowd is back and we're back to the spirit of the Olympics, " he added. 

Crouser said he was "old enough to know I won't be doing this forever".

"It gives me a moment to stop and appreciate the opportunities I've had and will have.

"Every four years the world comes together and puts aside its differences and I think we didn't have that in Tokyo.

"I'm excited to see that Olympic spirit return in Paris."

First up, however, is London.

"I expect tomorrow to be a very good competition. There’s myself coming into shape, Joe Kovacs in exceptional shape and Leonardo Fabbri as well," Crouser predicted.