After claiming the victory, the Texas alum donned his iconic cowboy hat and displayed a sheet of paper that read, “Grandpa, We DID IT, 2020 Olympic Champion!”
His grandfather, Larry, passed away the day before he boarded the plane to Tokyo. Fortunately, the throwing family’s patriarch was able to witness Crouser’s world record at Trials.
“Soon after his record he was able to spend quality time with his grandfather,” said 2016 Olympic gold medalist Michelle Carter, who shared the sign’s meaning on Peacock.
“And so he carries that memory with him, so when he came to this Olympic Games, he said, ‘I was ready, and I’m doing this for my grandfather.'”
Larry was the spark that gravitated Crouser to throwing, taking him out to the backyard to practice like he did with his father and uncles before him.
Crouser’s father competed for two years at Idaho and served as the discus alternate on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team; his uncle Dean was a three-time NCAA champion shot put and discus thrower at Oregon; and his uncle Brian was a two-time NCAA javelin champion at Oregon and an Olympian in 1988 and 1992.
