With the Olympic Games set to kick off at the end of July, preparations for the Games are beginning in all sports, not just in swimming. In this series, SwimSwam looks at some of the leading news from outside of swimming as athletes around the world continue to prepare and qualify for the rescheduled Olympic Games which are due to begin in Tokyo on July 23rd, and Paralympic Games, which are scheduled to begin August 24th.
USA’s Ryan Crouser Breaks 31-year-old Shot Put World Record
American Ryan Crouser broke a 31-year-old shot put record over the weekend and secured his ticket to Tokyo in the process.
The 28-year-old threw the shot put 76 feet, 8 1/4 inches (23.37 meters) on day one of the U.S Olympic Trials, breaking the previous World Record mark of 75-10 1/4 (23.12) which was set by Randy Barnes in May, 1990.
While athletics records do tend to survive longer than swimming records, this shot put record was one of the older and more legendary records on the books for the IAAF.
Crouser is the defending Olympic champion from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games where he won gold in the shot put event with a throw of 22.52 m (73 ft 10+1⁄2 inch) which broke the Olympic record.
Earlier this year, Crouser broke another longstanding record belonging to Randy Barnes. His first throw of 2021 saw him achieving a mark of 22.82 m (74 ft 10+1⁄2 in) to set a new World Indoor Record. The previous record stood at 22.66 m (74 ft 4 in) and was set by Barnes in 1989.
Speaking on how he achieved his world record, Crouser said: “I stayed big with my chest and relaxed and let the entry happen. I didn’t force it. And once I did that well, I knew the throw was going to be good, so I didn’t do anything to mess it up from there.”
Laurel Hubbard Makes History, First Transgender Olympian
New Zealand’s Laurel Hubbard made history this week as she was confirmed at the first-ever transgender athlete to be selected to compete at an Olympic Games.
The 43-year-old weightlifter was named on the women’s weightlifting team by the New Zealand Olympic Committee following recent adjustments to qualifying requirements.
In a statement released by the NZOC on Monday this week, Hubbard said of her selection:
“I am grateful and humbled by the kindness and support that has been given to me by so many New Zealanders”
“When I broke my arm at the Commonwealth Games three years ago, I was advised that my sporting career had likely reached its end. But your support, your encouragement, and your ‘aroha’ [affection] carried me through the darkness.”
Hubbard’s inclusion in the Games has been met with some criticism as certain individuals have claimed that she will have an unfair advantage over her competitors.
However, members of the nation’s government, as well as the Olympic committee, have stated their support for Laurel, with the New Zealand sports minister, Grant Robertson, saying: “She deserves to be there and we’ll be supporting her”.
Additionally, one of her competitors for the upcoming Games, Australia’s Charisma Amoe-Tarrant, has also voiced her support. “I have so much respect for her and wish her and the other lifters the best and hope we can all come together and enjoy the Olympics,” she said.
“Because this Olympics right now is quite different compared to others. I’ve competed with her previously and always had good chats with her, I just wish her well,” she added.
Hubbard will be competing in the women’s 87kg-plus category in Tokyo.
First Positive Covid Test Among Olympic Teams in Tokyo
A member of the Ugandan Olympic team has tested positive for coronavirus after arriving in the Japanese capital ahead of the upcoming Games.
The unnamed team member was part of a nine-person cohort from Uganda which includes boxers, coaches, and officials.
The individual has reportedly been fully vaccinated before travelling to Tokyo and has tested negative before leaving Uganda.
Japanese officials have told local media that the individual has been transported to a designated government quarantine facility and the rest of the team have left the airport via chartered bus and are headed for Osaka.
The Ugandan team was the second foreign team to arrive in Japan following the arrival of the Australian women’s softball team on June 1st.
Of note, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced this week that they will allow 50% venue capacity for domestic spectators at the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games. The decision to ban international spectators has not been altered.
Is there a swimswam-esque site for athletics?
No one wants to say it as we are supposed to live an let live but the transgender athlete should not be allowed to compete in the womens weightlifting. It is clearly unfair.
Imagine if Lochte transitioned and turned up at trials in 2024 as a woman. He would clean up. He would break world records in 1Bk, 1Fly, 2IM etc
The normal response here is well no one would transition juat to get medals as it is so hard. When in reality it is not.
It should tell you something about whether it is an even playing field when a 43 year old qualifies.
Rhiannon Lochte would break every wr
“No one wants to say it”
Well, that’s a lie, a good 75% of the comments on any article about her are about how she shouldn’t be allowed to compete.
These have been the rules in the Olympics since 2004, and in the NCAA for 10 years, and we’ve yet to see this influx of trans women into sports that we keep hearing will destroy women’s sport. Maybe that’s because putting up with all of the discrimination and hatred wouldn’t be worth it to win a couple of athletic events.
“I do know about what does and does not constitute a natal-female…in the end this ain’t gonna fly in the arena of sports.”
You can quote me on that.
Surprising. We can now talk about athletics on swimswam. Cool.
I guess now we can talk about athletics on swimswam!
can you do a live recap for athletics at the Olympics too?
Crouser is like Usain Bolt. Simply taller and more athletic than anyone he’s competing against or the long term standards in that event. So explosive. Plus he’s got a rival Kovacs who maximizes his talent and pushes Crouser to be at his best.
The men’s 800m was the equivalent of the women’s 200m backstroke. American record holder and defending world champion Donovan Brazier was heavy favorite entering the final yet ran an awful strategic race and missed the team entirely. He doesn’t have another event. Jewett of USC ran a bold race from the front, mindful of Johnny Gray of yesteryear. Brazier could have remained back alongside Clayton Murphy and patiently waited to pick up the pieces late. Top three… Read more »
Respectfully you are right and wrong. Yes you are right and wrong. Both crushed world records that had stood and now will will stand.
Bolt is the only 100 meter man that has not tested positive out of the top 50 all time dashes (time significantly faster than shy in history of sport) and Crosier breaks 31 year old record by 10 inches (Huge margin in this event) .
Reality is both the probably have both great doctors who know how to taper off drugs timing wise to beat WADA, AND IAAF know if they test positive would possibly kill a fragile sport based on people know the above.
In Bolts case a 3rd (or all 3… Read more »
Records would have stayed longer if Phelps fully trained after Beijing and really pushed the records of the 200 meter free, 200 IM, 400 IM, 100 fly and 200 fly.
That shot was insane, almost went out of the marked scoring section.
Also, this is all fun and games until a Olympic semi-finals level male athlete transitions and absolutely crushes a all-time female record in track or swimming. A 48 point 100 freestyler would easily stay at 50, these rules better go backwards
These have been the rules since 2004. Why is this suddenly a massive problem that we have to solve immediately?
I think it’s just being brought to more peoples attention. Trans athletes have to meet certain testosterone levels to be eligible to compete in women’s events…but people are concerned about those who don’t transition until after puberty and may have more muscle and bone density than biological females. Science.
Hook ‘em Crouser!