Joe KOVACS heaved a massive 23.23 meters to set a Diamond League and meeting record, world-lead, and personal best to secure the title at the 2022 Wanda Diamond League Final in Zurich during the street events on Sechselautenplatz on Wednesday (7).
“I am super excited. I had so many throws this year over 22.80m,” said Kovacs. “So I feel like I was building and building. It feels good to finally click the box and be a 23m shot putter.”
The two-time world champion delivered a performance that elevated him to second on the world all-time list behind the man he defeated today, his American countryman Ryan Crouser, who registered a world record mark of 23.37m in Eugene last year. Crouser also owns the second farthest shot put in history at 23.30m.
When did Joe Kovacs throw his winning mark in Zurich?
On Wednesday in Zurich, both Crouser and Kovacs opened the competition with identical marks of 22.67m to equal the meeting record before the latter recorded his best-ever return with his massive second-round effort to crack the 23-meter mark for the first time ever in his career and improved on his previous personal best of 22.91m.
Crouser, who had set the previous meeting record during the 2021 edition, finished second today with a throw of 22.74m, done in round three, while two-time Olympic bronze medalist Tom Walsh of New Zealand picked up third with a mark of 21.90m.
“It feels good to finally click the box and be a 23m shot putter,” added Kovacs after his outstanding performance. “There is a bigger throw left in there. So it feels good to walk away from a PR and I want more, but it is also exciting because I know the level is getting better and better.”
Kovacs, who also threw 22.58m in the third round and 22.50m in round five said his goal is to now break the world record and is targeting 23.50m.
“You do not want to go backwards,” he stated. “If you have a level you want to stay at that level. Now with a throw of 23, my goal for next year is to be able to achieve 23.50m.”
2022 Wanda Diamond League Final in Zurich – Men’s Shot Put
Diamond Discipline – DF
Men’s Shot Put
Final
PLACE NAME NAT. MARK
1 Joe KOVACS USA 23.23m
2 Ryan CROUSER USA 22.74
3 Tom WALSH NZL 21.9
4 Jacko GILL NZL 21.51
5 Filip MIHALJEVIĆ CRO 21.43
6 Nick PONZIO ITA 20.71
