Paris Olympics: Joe Kovacs wins his third silver medal in shot put

Joe Kovacs won his third consecutive Olympic silver medal in the shot put Saturday, August 3 2024, in typically dramatic fashion.

The Penn State graduate and two-time world champion achieved a throw of 22.15 meters on his final attempt, securing the silver behind Ryan Crouser. Crouser, the three-time champion, has bested Kovacs in three consecutive Olympics.

Despite finishing second, the throw continued a stellar career for Kovacs. At 35, he solidified his place in shot-put history with his ninth international medal since 2015. Crouser made history by becoming the first athlete to win three Olympic shot put titles.

Kovacs was the second former Penn State athlete to win an individual medal Saturday at the Paris Olympics. Earlier, pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik won his second bronze medal of these games, this time in the men’s individual competition.

Kovacs has consistently medaled at major international competitions since 2015, when he won his first gold medal at the World Championships.

He claimed his second world title in 2019 by defeating Crouser in what is considered the greatest shot-put competition ever. Kovacs recorded a throw of 22.91 meters on his final attempt, defeating Crouser and New Zealand’s Tomas Walsh by one centimeter.