Birkinhead 10th in Olympic shot put

American Ryan Crouser set an Olympic record of 22.52m to win gold in the men's shot put at the Rio Games.

Joe Kovacs (21.78m) completed a 1-2 punch for the United States, with the bronze going to New Zealander Tom Walsh with 21.36m.

Australian Damien Birkinhead was unable to improve on his efforts in the qualifying round earlier on Thursday.

The 23-year-old from the small Victorian town of Teesdale did not make the halfway cut in the final, finishing 10th with 20.45m.

Birkinhead did well just to get to Rio after tearing his calf muscle at the Melbourne Track Classic in March, when he was taken from the arena in a wheelchair.

"By June I was back doing full throws," he said.

"I went and did a few comps in Europe, they were a bit rusty but they got me back in the rhythm."