Penn State's Joe Kovacs Begins Quest for Third Olympics

The two-time world champion in the shot put will compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Oregon.

Joe Kovacs of the United States celebrates after winning the shot put at 75-10 3/4 (23.13m) during the 49th Pre Classic at Hayward Field. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Kovacs, the two-time world shot-put champion and Penn State graduate, has been on a tear in 2024. He is the world's second-ranked thrower and has recorded the longest throw of the 2024 season. This weekend, the 34-year-old Kovacs brings that streak to the U.S. Olympic Trials seeking to make his third consecutive team.

Kovacs and teammate Ryan Crouser, the top two throwers in the world, will compete once again at the Trials in Eugene, Oregon. The qualifying round begins at 9:15 p.m. ET on Friday, and the finals are scheduled for 9:40 ET on Saturday at Hayward Field.

Kovacs, a 2011 Penn State graduate, put together a terrific meet recently at Hayward Field. He won the 2024 Prefontaine Classic with a world-leading throw of 23.13 meters, the seventh-longest throw in shot-put history. Kovacs also won the USATF LA Grand Prix in May with a throw of 22.93.

Kovacs seeks to make his third U.S. Olympic Team after dueling Crouser at the past two Games. Kovacs finished second to Crouser in Rio and Tokyo. He defeated Crouser for world titles in 2015 and 2019 and has two world silver medals as well.

At Penn State, Kovacs won a Big Ten shot put title but longed to play football. He threw his bachelor party at the 2018 Penn State-Ohio State game. Kovacs' wife Ashley is his coach, helping him revive his career before the 2020 Olympics. Ashley Kovacs, the associate head coach and throws coach at Vanderbilt, also coaches the U.S. Olympic women's throwing team and will be in Paris for the Summer Olympics.

"You know the showdown's going to be at the Olympic Trials and then Paris," Kovacs told reporters after winning the Prefontaine Classic. "Those are the ones that everyone is going to be ready for. That's what we're just trying to build for, me wife and I. How can we be prepared, leave no stone unturned? That's what gives me the most confidence to go out there and really just take a swing and get the job done."

Still not over it ☄️@JoeKovacsUSA threw the 7th farthest throw in history this past weekend at Hayward in a world leading fashion of 2️⃣3️⃣.1️⃣3️⃣#EugeneDL #PreClassic pic.twitter.com/Foa1KPojjd

— The Prefontaine Classic (@nikepreclassic) May 27, 2024

Kovacs is among nine Nittany Lions who will compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Here's the breakdown, courtesy Penn State Athletics:

Samaria McDonald, a Penn State graduate student, is the program's record-holder in the women's hammer throw. She is seeded 18th for the Trials.

Junior Darius Smallwood is the 21st seed in the men's 800.

Isaiah Harris, who holds Penn State records in the indoor and outdoor 800s, is seeded fifth in the men's 800.

Tyler Merkley, Penn State's record-holder in the men's hammer throw, is 13th in the field.

Morgan Shigo is seeded 17th in the men's hammer throw field.

Rachel Fatherly is 21st in the women's shot put.

Brannon Kidder will compete in the men's 800 and 1,500.

Rachel Gearing will run in the women's 800.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.