World record-holder Ryan Crouser set to open his season and defend his title after managing an injury all year
Leonardo Fabbri poses biggest threat to US dominance
Five entrants have thrown beyond 22.00m this year, setting the stage for an unpredictable final
USA’s Ryan Crouser, two-time world champion, triple Olympic gold medallist and world record-holder, will be returning to Tokyo to defend his title, despite having not competed this season.
Last year he won his third consecutive Olympic title, a feat he will hope to replicate at the World Championships. If successful, he will become only the second man to win three back-to-back world outdoor shot put titles.
However, after winning Olympic gold last year with a nerve entrapment in his throwing elbow, he has continued to suffer with an injury in the same elbow, hence his absence this season so far.
This uncertainty of form for Crouser potentially provides an opportunity for other challengers to come through and take the title.
There has not been a men’s shot put podium without a US thrower at the World Championships since the 1991 edition in Tokyo, and this streak seems likely to continue with the USA fielding four men for the shot put.
The US team selections were not without drama, though. A flurry of activity of and improvements in the closing round resulted in victory for Josh Awotunde with a PB of 22.47m ahead of Payton Otterdahl (22.35m) and Adrian Piperi (22.29m). It meant that early leader Joe Kovacs, the 2015 and 2019 world champion, finished outside the podium.
Kovacs went on to win at the Diamond League Final, which usually comes with a wildcard entry for the World Championships, but the USA prioritised the wildcards for defending world champions and so Crouser was given the fourth spot on the team instead.
Despite USA’s depth and dominance, Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri goes in as world leader this year with a season’s best of 22.82m. The European champion and world silver medallist has thrown beyond 22 metres in five competitions this year, but was sixth at the recent Diamond League Final. The 28-year-old is keen to become the first ever Italian and first European since 2013 to win gold in the event.
Fellow Italian Zane Weir will be looking to follow in the footsteps of his compatriot by earning a medal on the global stage after he placed fifth in the Olympic final in Tokyo four years ago.
After becoming the first African shot putter to break the 22-metre barrier earlier this year, Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi could also earn the continent’s first world medal in the event.
Three-time world champion Tom Walsh will be hoping to make his 14th global final in 11 years. The New Zealander, who won the outdoor world title in 2017, was fourth at the last two World Championships so will be keen to make it back on to the podium.
Turkiye’s Ali Pecker and South Africa’s Aiden Smith may not contend for medals in Tokyo, but as the youngest throwers in the field they should gain valuable experience to take forward into future major championships.
Jasmine Trapnell for World Athletics
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