Ryan Crouser Named Finalist for Male World Athlete of the Year 2020 World Athletics has announced Ryan Crouser is among the 5 finalists for Male World Athlete of the Year who were selected by an international panel of athletics experts, comprising representatives from all six continental areas of World Athletics. A three-way voting process determined the finalists with Ryan Crouser the sole American. Ryan Crouser (Boring, Oregon) was undefeated in 10 shot put competitions and his 22.91m world-leading performance moved him to equal third on the world all-time list. He had 36 throws of 22m/72-2.5 or better, with 14 of those better than 22.56m/74-0, the highest total ever in a single year. Voting procedure for 2020 World Athletes of the Year: A three-way voting process determined the finalists. The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family cast their votes by email, while fans voted online via our social media platforms. The Council’s vote counted for 50% of the result, while the Athletics Family’s votes and the public votes each counted for 25% of the final result. Voting for the Male World Athlete of the Year closed on 15 November. USATF Mourns Olympians Buddy Davis, Willie Smith Walter 'Buddy' Davis, the 1952 Olympic champion in the high jump, died on Tuesday, November 17 at his home in Port Arthur, Texas. Davis was 89. Though he contracted polio at age eight, Davis became an elite high jumper and basketball player, eventually winning an Olympic title and two NBA championships. At Texas A&M University, he competed in both high jump and basketball while a student in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He won the 1952 NCAA high jump title with a leap of 2.03m and the AAU title with a leap of 2.09m soon after and then later that summer in Helsinki he topped 2.04m, an Olympic record. He also broke the world record in 1953 with a 2.12m leap, a record that stood for three years. Willie Smith, a three-time Olympian and former Auburn track national champion, passed away earlier this month at the age of 64. Smith made three United States Olympic teams in 1976, 1980 and 1984, winning a gold medal at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles as a member of the 4x400-meter relay. He made the 1976 team as an alternate in the 4 x100-meter relay, but did not compete in Montreal. Four years later, Smith was second at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 400, but the United States boycotted the Games in Moscow. Smith was twice a USATF Outdoor Champion, winning the national title in the 400 in 1979 and 1980. USATF Week of Thanks Begins USA Track & Field announced today a weeklong celebration of its members in an online USATF Week of Thanks campaign, November 23-29, 2020. In the first of its kind, the campaign will feature giveaways, member spotlight features and special content created especially for USATF Week of Thanks. Featured members will receive a VIP membership upgrade courtesy of Toyota. Read more about the weeklong celebration here. USATF Week of Thanks - Member Spotlight: Angie Jepsen