More importantly, his elbow is in good condition for Saturday's final, with the top three finishers qualifying for Paris.
“It's been a tough journey for sure,” said Crowther, whose world record of 23.56 meters (77 feet, 3.54 inches) was set last season, “but I'm proud of how I overcame a really tough spring.”
Crowther began feeling pain in the ulnar nerve in her elbow at the World Indoor Championships in early March, and just as the pain was starting to subside, she tore a pectoral muscle while weightlifting.
Then the pain in his ulnar nerve returned, and in April he underwent elbow surgery in which doctors used saline to elevate the nerve out of the ulnar groove.
“It was very uncomfortable,” Crowther said, “but it helped.”
He hasn't thrown what he considers his “real” style for more than two months. To be safe, he's tweaked his technique, even eschewing the “closer slide,” the modern shot put style he used to break the world record, for a more efficient throw that requires less force. He thinks there might be room to blend the two styles.
“In the long run, if I can combine my traditional big hammer finish with a more efficient back out, I think it will be more effective because I think I'll get more distance,” Crowther said.
Crowther, 31, had a health scare last summer after being diagnosed with a blood clot. He went on to win the world championships in Budapest, Hungary, while U.S. teammate Joe Kovac won the bronze medal.
Kovacs, who ran a best time of 22.13 (72-7 1/4) in qualifying on Friday, has finished second to Crowther in the past two Olympics but is the top thrower in the world this season with a time of 23.13 (75-10 3/4).
“For me, it's just frustrating to throw 23 metres so many times and then be sitting on the couch,” Crowther said. “I love being outside and competing with the guys, but the biggest thing is you can't do it unless you're healthy. The first half of the outdoor season was awful, burnt out, but I didn't really have a lot of options.”
Leading up to the heats, Crowther set himself a goal of 21 meters (68 feet 10 3/4 inches) in practice, knowing that's what he'd need to get to the final. He was right: he hopes to book his ticket to Paris with a top-three finish, then spend the next six weeks recovering.
“You lose confidence a lot,” Crowther said. “As a shot putter, it's really difficult to have an elbow problem. You try to throw, you can't throw, and then you have to do a week of rehab before you can throw again. … It's definitely been tough.”
“But I finally feel like I'm on the right path.”
AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
