Jamaica’s O’Dayne Richards finished eighth in the men’s shot put final with a best throw of 20.64m, while fouling four of his six attempts here at the Olympic Stadium last night.

Richards, 27, who has been Jamaica’s most successful shot putter, could not replicate his bronze medal-winning World Championships form last night.

“I am not feeling too disappointed; I had a rough year this year; God has been good to me still. I made the team final despite of what happened, and I am grateful,” reflected Richards.

The 2014 Commonwealth Games champion cited a recurring shin problem that severely hampered his chances of a better performance.

But Richards was in very good company as Ryan Crouser of the United States of America copped gold in a new Olympic record of 22.52m. His teammate Joe Kovacs was second with 21.78m, which he achieved on his first attempt. New Zealand’s Tom Walsh claimed the bronze with 21.36m.

Richards failed to match his season’s best of 20.82m and, of course, far off his personal best and national record of 21.69m.

“I threw 20.64 on my second attempt. I fouled the first one, started feeling some pain (shin area) and started going downhill from there,” he explained.

The 2014 RJR Sportsman of the Year registered only two attempts. He fouled his first; threw 20.64m on his second; registered 20.34m on his third to make the top eight.

But that would be the last mark for Richards, who fouled his last three attempts, thus settling for the eighth spot.

“The first one I went hard and I didn’t catch the reverse that I would like and it caused some pain. The second, I was a little bit cautious and the rest of them were basically just trying to fight,” he added.

Earlier in the heats, Richards qualified for the final with a throw of 20.40m to be seventh in Group B. American Ryan Crouser topped the group with 21.59m ahead of Tomas Walsh of New Zealand with 21.03m. Brazil’s Darian Romani was third with a national record of 20.94m. He was 12th overall and just edged Andrei Gag of Romania, who also threw 20.40m.

Richards created history when he became Jamaica’s first gold medallist in the shot put at the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

— Howard Walker