The Oregon giant, who previously won in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, secured victory on his third attempt with a throw of 22.90 metres, the best mark of the season. 

His compatriot Joe Kovacs once again joined him on the podium, as he had done in the previous two Olympics, with his best throw on his sixth and final attempt measuring 22.15 metres, the same distance as Jamaican Rajindra Campbell, who took bronze due to a poorer second-best throw.

With the gold medal in Paris, Crouser becomes the historical king of the shot put, surpassing a select group of athletes who have won two consecutive Olympic titles in this discipline. Specifically, he surpasses Americans Ralph Rose (champion in 1904 and 1908) and Parry O’Brien (1952 and 1956), and Poland’s Tomasz Majewski (2008 and 2012). Crouser's first-place finish in these Games marks the twentieth gold for the United States in this sport over 30 Olympics.

"Definitely, I think this title is the sweetest of all," commented Crouser. The athlete understands that this time he was able to compete without pressure and in a more relaxed manner, as he arrived third in the performance list. 

"In Tokyo, however, I had just set a world record and felt that defeat could happen at any moment." On the other hand, "In Rio I was the new guy on the block, first year professional, so that one, I don't want to say it was lucky, but it was definitely the least appreciated for me."

Crouser's feat is even more spectacular considering the athlete has suffered several injuries this season. After winning the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March, he had elbow problems and a severe pectoral muscle tear, but luckily he was able to recover in time for the Paris event.

"So there's just the injuries this year, with the ulnar nerve entrapment, and the torn pec, and then the nerve issue again, made it kind of all the sweeter, made me appreciate it more," explained Crouser. It is not the first time the American has overcome such challenges; he won the Hungarian Championship in 2023 just weeks after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis.

Crouser, 31, also revealed that he will likely conclude his career at the Los Angeles Games, where he will seek to expand his record with another first-place finish. "The perfect end cap for me would be LA 2028, as an American athlete, retiring and hanging up the shoes on home soil," said Crouser.