Former Penn State track and field star Joe Kovacs earned the Nittany Lions’ first 2020 Olympic medal late Wednesday night with a strong performance in the shot put finals.

Kovacs notched a silver medal with a throw of 22.60 meters, falling just behind fellow American Ryan Crouser, who set an Olympic record with his 22.93-meter toss. Crouser previously topped Kovacs for a gold medal at 2016’s Olympics in Rio.

Kovacs is now a two-time Olympic medalist thanks to the silver he received in 2016.

Although Kovacs earned Penn State’s first medal of the 2020 Olympics, he likely won’t be the last. Wrestling legend David Taylor is in contention for a gold medal, while Alyssa Naeher is vying for a bronze with the United States’ women’s soccer team. Additionally, Micha Hancock and Haleigh Washington remain in contention for a medal with the United States’ women’s volleyball team.

Kovacs competed for Penn State from 2008 to 2012 while majoring in energy business and finance. The Nazareth, Pa., native later went on to capture two gold medals at the 2015 and 2019 IAAF World Championships.

About the Author

Matt DiSanto

Matt proudly served as Onward State’s managing editor for two years until graduating from Penn State in May 2022. Now, he’s off in the real world doing real things. Send him an email (mattdisanto86@gmail.com) or follow him on Twitter (@mattdisanto_) to stay in touch.

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