The 28-year-old who built a training ring at his home in Arkansas to stay on point during the coronavirus pandemic shattered a shot put world record Friday night that was set 2½ years before he was born.
On Day 1 of U.S. Olympic Trials, he heaved the massive medal sphere 76 feet, 8¼ inches (23.37 meters) to put his name in the record book and punch his ticket for Tokyo, where he’ll have a chance to defend his Olympic title next month.
“There were so many times that I was throwing a six-pound shot out behind the middle school, throwing by myself, and let it go and put my hands over my head and be like, ‘Oh, new world record!