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Joe Kovacs is one of the world's best shot putters. He has won multiple World Championships and is a proven performer at international competitions. Heading into his 2nd Olympic campaign, Kovacs will be hoping to better his performance in Rio and come out with gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
Kovacs will be facing tough competition from fellow American Ryan Crouser and New Zealander Tom Walsh, but Joe Kovacs will always be a threat in the event as he has the knack of recording big throws at crucial moments, which makes him one of the favourites to win the gold in Tokyo. Here's more on that and a few other things about the American shot putter.
Read:Tokyo Olympics 2020: 5 athletics events with clear-cut gold medal favorites
# 1 Joe Kovacs was coached by his Mom?
Joe Kovacs studied at Bethlehem Catholic School, Pennsylvania. He grew up playing football but used to skip jogging sessions, pick the discus and shot put and throw it in their parking lot, as their school had no proper tracks.
Kovacs' mother, Joanna, a former college champion, saw this and gave him pointers on how to grip the shot put. She volunteered to coach the kids in the parking lot, using chalk to draw a throwing circle on the pavement. As Kovacs improved, she took him to better facilities, which helped him become a better shot putter.
# 2 What is Joe Kovacs net worth?
Joe Kovacs is associated with Velaasa Sports, his net-worth is estimated to be anywhere between $1 million- $5 million.
# 3 How many medals has Joe Kovacs won in his career?
Joe Kovacs is a three-time world champion. He won gold medals at the 2015 and 2019 World Championships and also bagged silver at the 2017 World Championships held in London. Kovacs finished 2nd behind Ryan Crouser in Rio to bag the silver in his very first Olympic campaign.
# 4 Joe Kovacs' career-best performance
Joe Kovacs has a career-best throw of 22.91 meters, which he executed on his last attempt at the 2019 World Championships. Kovacs' attempt is the fourth-best attempt in shot put history.
# 5 Joe Kovacs and his Olympic performances
Joe Kovacs missed out on a place at the London Olympics after falling 20 centimeters short of the mark, which placed him in 4th place at the trials. However, he comfortably qualified for the 2016 Olympics and recorded a throw of 21.78 meters, which helped him win the silver medal. Kovacs qualified for the Tokyo Olympics 2021 with a 22.34 meter throw, which was the second best throw at the US trials.
Also Read: 5 athletics world records that could be broken at the Tokyo Olympics
