World Athletics ratifies world records for Crouser, McLaughlin, Knighton and Kosonen
Four star performers from the Tokyo Olympic Games have had their record-breaking marks from earlier in the season ratified by the track and field sport’s world governing body, World Athletics.
The World Athletics disclosed in a report on Wednesday that the four records were set in June, ahead of the commencement of the 2020 Olympics which ended on Sunday in Tokyo.
At the US Trials in late June, Ryan Crouser fulfilled his life-long goal of breaking the outdoor world record in the shot put.
The 28-year-old unleashed an almighty 23.37 metres effort to add 25 centimetres to the previous world record of 23.12m set by USA’s Randy Barnes in Westwood on May 20 in 1990.
“I’ve wanted that world record for so long, it feels like a weight has been lifted,” said Crouser, who earlier this year set a world indoor record of 22.82m.
“I’ve been thinking about this moment since I started throwing. To finally do it is pretty special.”
Crouser went on to successfully defend his Olympic title in Tokyo, smashing his own Olympic record with 23.30m, the second-best mark in history.
Teenage sprinter Erriyon Knighton was another athlete who made the headlines at the US Trials.
Before heading to Eugene, the 17-year-old had set a world U-18 best of 20.11 for 200m, but that was just a taste of what was to come.
He improved that to 20.04 in the heats of the US Trials, then clocked a world U-20 record of 19.88 (1.1m/s) in the semi-finals.
The youngster broke the mark of 19.93 set by Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt in Hamilton on April 11, 2004.
In the final one day later, Knighton went faster still, running 19.84 (0.3m/s) for another world U-20 record (pending ratification) and booking his spot on the U.S Olympic team.
Knighton went on to finish a highly creditable fourth at the Olympic Games, once again breaking the 20-second barrier.
The action at the US Trials concluded with a scintillating 400m hurdles race in which Sydney McLaughlin broke the world record.
Pushed all the way by world champion Dalilah Muhammad, McLaughlin pulled ahead in the closing stages to win in 51.90.
She broke Muhammad’s world record of 52.16, set at the World Championships in Doha on Oct. 4, 2019.
“A lot of the things you can’t see coming, but this is the result of trusting the process,” said McLaughlin.
“Working with my new coach (Bobby Kersee) and my new support system is truly just faith and trusting the process. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
McLaughlin and Muhammad went on to have another enthralling duel at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in which both women finished inside McLaughlin’s mark from the US Trials.
McLaughlin took gold in a world record of 51.46 (pending ratification) and Muhammad finished a close second in 51.58.
Finland’s Silja Kosonen has in recent years emerged as one of Europe’s most promising young throwers.
The 18-year-old hammer thrower opened her 2021 campaign by setting a senior national record of 72.44m.
She also broke the long-standing European U-20 record set 20 years ago by the late 2000 Olympic champion Kamila Skolimowska.
In late June Kosonen improved to 73.43m, breaking Zhang Wenxiu’s world U-20 record of 73.24m, set in Changsha on June 24, 2005.
Kosonen, who won the European U-20 title in July, competed at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and threw a solid 70.49m to finish 14th in qualifying.
It put her in the top half of the field and ahead of several established senior performers.
She will now turn her attention to the World Athletics U-20 Championships Nairobi 21, which begins on Tuesday.
The Records
Men’s world shot put record
23.37m, Ryan Crouser (U.S), Eugene, June 18 2021
Men’s world U-20 200m records
19.88, Erriyon Knighton (U.S), Eugene, June 26 2021
Women’s world 400m hurdles record
51.90, Sydney McLaughlin (U.S), Eugene, June 27 2021
Women’s world U-20 hammers record
73.43m, Silja Kosonen (FIN), Vaasa, June 28 2021
