WCH Tokyo 25 brushstroke (© World Athletics)
Last three sets of World Athletics Championships medallists
2023: 1 Ryan Crouser (USA) 23.51m, 2 Leonardo Fabbri (ITA) 22.34m, 3 Joe Kovacs (USA) 22.12m
2022: 1 Ryan Crouser (USA) 22.94m, 2 Joe Kovacs (USA) 22.89m, 3 Josh Awotunde (USA) 22.29m
2019: 1 Joe Kovacs (USA) 22.91m, 2 Ryan Crouser (USA) 22.90m, 3 Tom Walsh (NZL) 22.90m
Last two sets of Olympic medallists
2024: 1 Ryan Crouser (USA) 22.90m, 2 Joe Kovacs (USA) 22.15m, 3 Rajindra Campbell (JAM) 22.15m
2020: 1 Ryan Crouser (USA) 23.30m, 2 Joe Kovacs (USA) 22.65m, 3 Tom Walsh (NZL) 22.47m
Longest winning throws in World Athletics Championships history
23.51m – Ryan Crouser (USA) 2023
22.94m – Ryan Crouser (USA) 2022
22.91m – Joe Kovacs (USA) 2019
Shortest winning throw in World Athletics Championships history
21.39m – Edward Sarul (POL) 1983
Best marks on Japanese soil
23.30m - 1 Ryan Crouser (USA) Tokyo (Olympics) 05.8.2021
22.65m - 2 Joe Kovacs (USA) Tokyo (Olympics) 05.08.2021
22.47m - 3 Tom Walsh (NZL) Tokyo (Olympics) 05.08.2021
Best marks on Asian soil
23.30m - 1 Ryan Crouser (USA) Tokyo (Olympics) 05.08.2021
22.91m - 1 Joe Kovacs (USA) Doha (World Championships) 05.10.2019
22.90m - 2 Ryan Crouser (USA) Doha (World Championships) 05.10.2019
Biggest winning margins
1.17m – 2023: Ryan Crouser (USA) 23.51m / Leonardo Fabbri (ITA) 22.34m
0.92m – 1991: Werner Günthör (SUI) 21.67m / Lars Arvid Nilsen (NOR) 20.75m
0.63m – 2001: John Godina (USA) 21.87m / Adam Nelson (USA) 21.24m
Smallest winning margins
0.01m – 2019: Joe Kovacs (USA) 22.91 / Ryan Crouser (USA) 22.90m
0.05m – 2022: Ryan Crouser (USA) 22.94m / Joe Kovacs (USA) 22.89m
0.12m – 2009: Christian Cantwell (USA) 22.03m / Tomasz Majewski (POL) 21.91m
Best mark by round
• Qualification - 22.37m Darlan Romani (BRA) 2023
• Final - 23.51m Ryan Crouser (USA) 2023
Multiple winners
1987/91/93 - Werner Gunthor (SUI)
1995/97/01 - John Godina (USA)
2011/13 - David Storl (GER)
2015/19 - Joe Kovacs (USA)
2022/23 - Ryan Crouser (USA)
Winners by country
11 - United States
3 - Switzerland
2 - Germany
1 - Poland
1 - Belarus
1 - New Zealand
Five historic facts
• Werner Gunthor’s (SUI) championship record of 22.23m lasted from 1987 up until 2019 when Joe Kovacs (USA) won gold with 22.91m
• In 2019, in what was arguably the greatest shot put final in history, the top four all broke Gunthor’s previous championship record: 22.91m Kovacs, 22.90m Ryan Crouser (USA), 22.90m Tom Walsh (NZL), 22.53m Darlan Romani (BRA)
• The championship record has been broken in the past three editions of the World Championships: 22.91m Joe Kovacs (USA) in 2019, 22.94m Ryan Crouser (USA) in 2022 and 23.51m Ryan Crouser (USA) in 2023
• The 11 longest throws in World Championships history have all been set in the past three editions of the World Championships
• At the first World Championships in Helsinki in 1983, 11 of the 12 finalists used the glide technique. In Tokyo, all of the leading contenders will use the spin technique
Potential storylines
• Having not competed at all in 2025, can Ryan Crouser (USA) become only the third three-time winner of the men’s shot put title? "My elbow injury has lingered so I'm not in perfect condition. As a result I've had to significantly limit my throwing practice...my physical condition is gradually improving and my mental state is stable. I'm excited to compete again, not scared," he said.
• Will the United States win multiple medals for the fourth successive World Championships?
• Can Leonardo Fabbri (ITA) become the first Italian winner of this title? Fabbri won silver in 2023; Alessandro Andrei also won silver in 1987. "I know Joe Kovacs (USA) is (usually) a very strong opponent, so a competition without him gives me an opportunity. Ryan Crouser is here and I am sure he will throw 22m, but I do not think he is in the best shape of his life," said Fabbri.
• Can Chuk Enekwechi (NGR) make history by becoming the first African medallist in the event?
• The automatic qualifying mark for the final is 21.35m
