Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Olympic shot put legend Ryan Crouser showed TODAY one of the weapons he’s employed to win a record three straight gold medals — a giant right hand that’s noticeably bigger than his left. The 6-foot7, 320-pound Crouser put his hands out side by side on Aug. 5 as he showed Criag Melvin, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and Savannah Guthrie the difference in size between them. “Shot put hand and non-shot put hand,” Crouser said. “So you can see, the right is quite a bit bigger.”Hurling the 16-pound ball for so many years has turned Crouser’s fingers into steel. Al pushed on his hand and Crouser’s fingers didn’t give an inch. “It just takes a beating,” he said. “Push on the fingertips. It just doesn’t move. So 16 pounds going almost 40 miles an hour off the fingertips, you get strong fingertips.” The Arkansas native is considered one of the greatest of all time after becoming the first shot putter, man or woman, to win gold in three straight Olympics in the 128-year history of the event. He won with a throw of 75 feet, 1 ¾ inches, beating U.S. teammate Joe Kovacs in an event held in driving rain.Beyond his giant hand, his athleticism for a man of his size has made him nearly unbeatable. His gold in Paris is especially meaningful given that Crouser overcame pectoral and elbow injuries to once again stand atop the podium. “I appreciate this one the most,” he said. Crouser’s remarkable legacy isn’t complete yet. He plans to make a run at a spot in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. “That would be the dream as an Olympian to retire at Olympics on home soil,” he said. “For me it would be the fourth. That would be a dream come true, so I’m trying to hang on until then.”
