Eric Favors of Raheny Shamrocks AC broke the long-standing Irish Shot-Put record at the American Track League Meet in Ponce, Puerto Rico last week.
Favors broke Olympian Paul Quirke’s (Crusaders AC) national record which had lasted 30 years since Quirke threw 20.04m at a meet in New York in July 1992.
Favors becomes just the second Irish man to throw over 20m in the event.
He now holds both the National Indoor and Outdoor records having thrown 19.84m Indoors in January.
Athletics Ireland currently has set an A standard for the qualification for the European Championships in Munich this August for the event at 20.85m, with the B standard set at 20.20m. Favors will be hoping that over the season he will get close to reaching these standards.
Favors finished 5th in the competition which was won by double Olympic gold medallist, American Ryan Crouser who holds both the Indoor and Outdoor World Records in the event.
Crouser threw a best of 22.75m, someway off his World Record of 23.37m which he set at the Trials for the US Olympic team in Eugene, Oregon in June 2021.
Favors had an impressive series of throws opening with a throw of 19.96m and following that up with a 19.94m effort.
His third and fourth throws were 19.48m and 19.68m respectively before he fouled in the fifth round. His final effort was the most impressive of the lot managing to launch the Shot Put out to 20.07m to claim a well-deserved National Record.
Favors was born in New York, but his grandmother was originally from Ballina in Co. Mayo and moved to the Bronx over fifty years ago. He was coached by Paddy McGrath who competed for Ireland in the Hammer Throw in 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
He has represented Ireland at the World University Games in 2019 and also the European Team Championships.
In an interview in 2020 Favors believed the Irish record was achievable.
“I believe I can get it (the overall Irish record). That’s definitely my goal for this year. I’m in remarkable shape. It only takes one throw. I believe I can improve to 20m. I’ve seen it in practice so it’s only a matter of time that I can one in a meet.”
While it may have taken longer than he would’ve liked, his progression over the last couple of years has been noticeable and he will be striving to improve throughout the summer so he can get the honour of wearing the green singlet at a championships for Ireland again.
