EUGENE — Ryan Crouser said there was consideration to take a geared-down route Saturday night at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials.

Do what it takes to make the U.S. Olympic team in the shot put. Save your best for six weeks from now in Paris. Age and a recent run of injuries made that a possibility.

Then the 31-year-old Crouser stepped into the ring Saturday night at Hayward Field. Those thoughts disappeared.

Inspired by the rhythmic clap from a Hayward crowd of 11,852, Crouser let loose with a throw of more than 73 feet.

Crouser, who on Friday threw for the first time competitively since March, was just getting started. He posted four of the top five throws Saturday, easily winning the shot final with a best throw of 74 feet, 11¼ inches.

Joe Kovacs finished second at 73-7¼, while Payton Otterdahl snagged the third Olympic berth at 73-0½. This is the same contingent that went to Tokyo for the 2021 Olympics, where Crouser outdueled Kovacs to win gold.

• WATCH: The best way to see every event of the USA Olympic trials for under $6 is by signing up for Peacock Premium ($5.99/month), NBC’s low-cost streaming service. Top events will also be broadcast live on NBC and USA Network. If you don’t already have cable, you can still watch some of those events live for free with Fubo (free trial) or with DirecTV Stream (free trial).

Few get as inspired by Hayward’s magic as Crouser, the Barlow High grad. Among his Hayward conquests are a world championships title and three trials golds.

Crouser said there was a thought about passing throws during the later rounds. But that first throw was “relatively pain free,” and Crouser felt like he was learning something with each throw.

“I mean, you get out there and you have a game plan of, I’m going to take it easy and make the team. But you get in front of thousands of people cheering and clapping for the shot. It’s like, I got to put on a show as best I can,” Crouser said.

Crouser admitted the runup was “stressful” to this weekend after battling injuries during the past 12 weeks.

“I didn’t know what kind of shape I was in. I’ve had two hard throwing sessions in the last two weeks. One went really bad and the other only like, OK,” Crouser said. “You never want to go into an Olympic trials not knowing what kind of shape you’re in. But that was the kind of cards I was dealt.”

Crouser has won plenty of gold and set world records at Hayward. But after all he’s gone through in 2024, “I can honestly say this one’s probably the best,” Crouser said. “This had much more of a sigh of relief. Kind of proving to myself that I’ve still got it.”

No one knows how to finish off a performance at Hayward like Crouser, either. Holding a U.S. flag and a bouquet of flowers, Crouser spent at least an hour walking around the track’s perimeter, shaking spectators’ hands, signing autographs, taking selfies.

“To see field events get the love out here was really awesome,” Crouser said. “I took an hour-plus victory lap. I tried to get everybody. I think I got just about everybody that stayed.”

Kovacs, who has finished second to Crouser in the past two Olympics and three trials, had his best chance to take down the American champion Saturday. But he scratched on two of his six throws, and exceeded 73 feet only twice.

“A pretty crappy day. But it’s nice to have a crappy day and still make the Olympic team,” Kovacs said. “I’m in really good shape to throw far today. I just didn’t do it.”

Now a three-time trials champion, Crouser heads to Paris in search of his third consecutive Olympic gold.

“With the Olympics, it’s always a challenge,” Crouser said. “I would love to be in the shape that I can be in PR shape at the Olympics.”

Crouser says he’s excited about what’s next because his preparation has been “imperfect.” He feels like the foundation is built. Now it’s about tinkering with technique and getting the maximum out of a body that is worn by age and injuries.

“If I can have that kind of cute European setup along with the classic American smash finish on the shot, I should throw pretty far,” Crouser said.

Otterdahl, who is looking for his first Olympic medal, feels confident the Americans will be a load in Paris.

“The bar has been raised a little bit more,” Otterdahl said.

-- Nick Daschel can be reached at 360-607-4824, ndaschel@oregonian.com or @nickdaschel.

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