30 American athletes to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics

8. Ryan Crouser
Track and Field

Strength will always be one of the key components of an athlete. When we consider the attributes that make a great athlete, strength and speed come to mind first. The latter talent is easy to see and showcase. Those who run fast and have impressive times excel with speed. Strength is a different story. However, there are a few events that showcase strength better than others, and outside of weight lifting, the best might be the shotput. 

One of the premier American shotputters is Ryan Crouser. He is already a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the shot put, making him the man to beat in the event this year. The 31-year-old is looking to continue his dominance in the sport. 

Crouser has been the first American in over a decade to come in as the best shotputter in the world. He even broke an Olympic record on his way, throwing for 22.52 meters at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. He would break the indoor world record with a throw of 22.82 meters in January 2021. Later that year, at Olympic trials, Crouser broke the outdoor record with a throw of 23.37 meters. 

Crouser is well on his way to being the greatest shotputter in history. No man has ever won three gold medals in a row in shot put at the Olympics. Crouser is looking for history in Paris.