Spikes16 Nov 2016


Ryan Crouser

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Ryan Crouser Did You Know

Don’t mess with Olympic shot put champion Ryan Crouser. Really. Just ask the last shark who tried to.

1. I love to go bow hunting

“I have a passion for the outdoors and I love to go bow hunting – that’s hunting with a bow and arrow! I enjoy it because of the challenge. 

“I generally hunt for deer elk and to hunt the animal I need to be within 30-40 yards. Growing up I lived off elk burger way more than I did off hamburgers.”

2. I catch sharks in a kayak

“Another outdoor pursuit I love is to go offshore fishing in a kayak. When I lived in Texas [studying at the University of Texas for five years], I kayaked in the Gulf of Mexico. I often paddled out between eight and ten miles into the ocean by the oil and gas platforms. I used to catch all sorts of fish including sharks more than six feet long.

“As you can guess, trying to catch a shark in a kayak demands a smart strategy. It is important to always keep the rod facing forward – the shark can weigh between 300-400 pounds which is more than the kayak and I combined. When you are pulling a shark around for an hour or so, it is definitely an adrenaline-filled sport.”

3. I love numbers

“I have always been good with numbers and enjoy maths and solving Sudoku puzzles. I take after my dad, who is also from a maths background. The academic side is important to me and my masters’ degree is in finance.

“My love of numbers spills over into my athletics. I like to see the numbers not only in terms of how far I throw, but also how many tonnes of kilos I have lifted during a period. There are always some interesting mathematics I can apply to my shot put.

“In future, I would like to move into financial consulting helping people and small businesses be smarter with their money and make better choices to achieve their life ambitions.”

Bonus! Which other Rio 2016 medallist once caught a shark? Answer here.

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