Ryan Crowther’s name It is synonymous with shot put competition.
Having successfully defended his title at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, he was all but expected to compete at the Paris Olympics, but a series of injuries this year had put that in doubt.
The American shot put star spoke about the challenges of overcoming injury to win the gold medal in an interview with Fox News Digital. U.S. Olympic Selections He won the men’s track and field championships in Oregon last month and has a chance to become the first athlete in history to win three gold medals in the shot put in Paris.
Ryan Crowther is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in both the indoor and outdoor shot put. (Nuro)
While nutrition and training play a key role in Crowther’s physical recovery, the surprising factor that helps him stay mentally focused is his dog, Koda.
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“She’s a great training partner,” Crowther said. “I’m lucky enough to be able to train at home, so I try to bring out a little bit of enthusiasm in her every time we train. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing, she’s always fired up. Whether it’s going out and coming back and picking up a shot after I’ve hit my 30th shot, it’s fun for her to go out and hit some shots. She’s a great training partner and definitely a part of the family.”
Speaking to Fox News Digital on behalf of Korda’s partnership with pet nutrition brand Nouro, Crowther said Korda’s biggest role is to help athletes separate their athletic performance from their own “self-worth.”
Crowther, a three-time world champion, has had Koda for almost two years. (Nuro)
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“As a professional athlete, understanding your sense of self and your self-worth and separating that from your athletic performance is something that for me, and I think a lot of athletes would agree, I struggle with. Everything that’s measured in athletics is easily measurable and easily routinized. If you have a bad day, there’s no escaping the fact that it’s a bad day. Tape measures don’t lie. So with the routinized side of our sport, it’s very easy to accept that and internalize it.”
He continued, “Koda helps me recover from that. It doesn’t matter if I’m having my best pitching session or my worst day, she loves me through thick and thin. So having her there has been very special, because it’s really made up for something that I’ve struggled with throughout my career.”
Nuuro partners with eight athletes, including Olympians. Simone Biles Caleb Dressel was part of a Fuel Incredible campaign aimed at highlighting the connection between top athletes and their pets.
The 31-year-old Crowther is seeking a historic third gold medal in the men’s shot put. (Nuro)
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Crowther, 31, is a three-time world champion and a four-time NCAA shot put champion during his time at the university. University of Texas. He currently holds the world records in both the indoor and outdoor shot put.
He won his first Olympic gold medal in Rio in 2016 and again in Tokyo in 2021.
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