DES MOINES, Iowa — Three-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder Ryan Crouser will be inducted into the Drake Relays Athletes Hall of Fame during an April 24 luncheon at the Schickler Club in the Knapp Center on the Drake University campus. This Hall of Fame induction will happen in conjunction with the 2025 Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom.

"Ryan Crouser is one of the most decorated athletes in the history of American track and field," Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays Blake Boldon said. "And it is an honor to enshrine him in such an esteemed club of elite athletes. Ryan has been a proud representative of the Drake Relays for several years and his connection to this event is unrivaled. We are equally proud to ensure his partnership with the Relays and the city of Des Moines will be honored for generations to come."

The induction of Crouser will increase membership in the Drake Relays Athletes Hall of Fame to 226. The Athletes Hall of Fame was established in 1959 during the Golden Anniversary of the Drake Relays with 72 charter members, including Jesse Owens who was named the outstanding performer during the first half-century of the Drake Relays.
 
"The tradition and history of the Drake Relays is second to none," said Crouser. "I am honored to be inducted into the Athletes Hall of Fame among such legends of the sport. After almost a decade of competing at Drake, I am always thankful for the opportunity to be at the Blue Oval."

Individual tickets and table reservations to attend the Hall of Fame luncheon on April 24 are available for purchase. If interested, contact Carolyn Burch Kirchhoff (carolyn.kirchhoff@drake.edu) Director of the Drake Relays Baton Club.

Crouser captured an unprecedented five straight Drake Relays invitational men's shot put titles from 2018-23. He was named the outstanding men's performer of the 2023 Drake Relays after recording the top spot in the world en route to setting a Drake Relays record of 73 feet-5 1/4 inches, breaking the previous meet record of 72'-6 1/4" by Chrstian Cantwell in 2006.
 
Crouser launched the third and fourth throws of 22-plus meters (72'-2 1/4") in Drake Relays history, pushing his career mark to 203 throws over 22 meters. Crouser also holds the Drake Stadium record of 74'-6 1/2" set at the 2020 Blue Oval Showcase where he topped 22 meters on all six throws, displaying one of the greatest shot put series of all time.
 
He holds the world record in the shot put, both indoors and outdoors. He set the outdoor world record at 77'-3 3/4" in May 2023, improving upon his previous record of 76'-8 1/4" from July 2021. He has held the indoor record of 74'-10 1/2" since January 2021.
 
Crouser is the only three-time shot put gold medalist in Olympic history, achieving his first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics with a throw of 73'-10 3/4" and retained his title at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, setting an Olympic record of 76'-5 1/2". He also won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a throw of 75'-1 3/4".  At the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, he secured a silver medal. Crouser then went on to win gold at both the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Ore., and the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. His throw of 77'-1 3/4" in Budapest set a record for the farthest throw ever at a World Championships.
 
Of the 14 throws of more than 23 meters (75'-5 1/2") in world history, Crouser has recorded nine, including the top four.
 
In his early career, Crouser set a national high school record for the indoor shot put and outdoor discus, and he won gold in the shot put at the 2009 World Youth Championships. He won four NCAA titles (two indoor/two outdoor) in the shot put at the University of Texas where he also captured nine Big 12 Conference titles (seven shot put/two discus). He won the national title in the shot put at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships seven of the eight times the event was held between 2016 and 2024. He is also a four-time national champion in the indoor shot put at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, with victories in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2024.

Crouser has been named Track & Field News World Male Athlete of the Year. He was also awarded USA Track & Field's highest accolade, the Jesse Owens Award, and was twice a finalist for Male Track and Field World Athlete of the Year by World Athletics, the international governing body for track and field. Crouser holds the distinction of earning victories in a Diamond League Championship, Olympic Games, World Indoor Championship, World Outdoor Championship and World Youth Championship.
 
Crouser's Hall of Fame induction is not the only reason for his return to Des Moines. The shot putter will participate in Relays-related events with more information coming next week.
 
"Welcoming Ryan to the Drake Relays Hall of Fame will make for a special day and we're equally eager to celebrate our entire historic class of inductees," Boldon said.

In the coming days, the remainder of the 2025 Drake Relays Hall of Fame class will be announced, which will include three athletes for the first time since Athletes of the Century were selected for the 100th running of America's Athletic Classic.
 
All Session tickets and ticket packages for the 115th Drake Relays April 23-26 are available now at https://godrakebulldogs.evenue.net/events/DR.
 
Pre-sale for single session tickets begins on Thursday, March 27.