Ryan Crouser Takes Gold For Shot Put

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) -- American Ryan Crouser won the shot put gold medal with an Olympic record 22.52 meters, leading world champion and fellow American Joe Kovacs in a 1-2 finish for the United States.

The 23-year-old Crouser recorded the three best throws of his career, starting with 22.22 on his second attempt to take an early lead and improving it to 22.26 before his biggest shot of the night on his fifth attempt.

Kovacs, who had the season-leading mark heading into the final, took silver at 21.78 and world indoor champion Tom Walsh of New Zealand won bronze at 21.36.

Tomasz Majewski, who won the Olympic gold for Poland in 2008 and 2012, was a distant sixth with a mark of 20.72 after opening with two fouls.