UPDATE: 'He's a hero': Bethlehem crowd cheers Olympian Joe Kovacs
Americans went 1-2 in the men's Olympic shot put on Thursday night in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Unfortunately for Lehigh Valley fans, it wasn't in their preferred order.
Still, Bethlehem Catholic graduate Joe Kovacs added a proud chapter to local athletic history by earning a silver medal with a throw of 71 feet, 5.5 inches (21.78 meters).
United States teammate Ryan Crouser captured gold with an Olympic-record toss of 73 feet, 10.75 inches (22.52 meters). New Zealand's Tomas Walsh took bronze (21.36 meters).
Kovacs' silver-winning effort came in his first throw of the finals. Crouser, who was in the lead after his second throw of the evening, uncorked his record-breaker on his fifth attempt.
Prior to Crouser's historic toss, Kovacs, a Nazareth native and Penn State graduate, unleashed his fifth attempt past the 22-meter mark, but was called for a foul throw as the bottom of his foot just tapped the block at the front of the circle.
East Germany's Ulf Timmermann set the previous Olympic shot put record of 22.47 meters during the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea.
KOVACS' OLYMPIC THROWS
(Results from Kovacs' six attempts in the shot put final)
1. 21.78 meters*
2. Foul
3. 21.52 meters
4. Foul
5. Foul
6. 21.35 meters
Kyle Craig may be reached at kcraig@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@KyleCraigSports.