Darlan Romani (born 9 April 1991) is a Brazilian track and field athlete specialising in the shot put. He was the Indoor World Champion in 2022, finished 4th at the 2020 Olympic Games, 4th at the 2019 World Championships, and was champion of the 2019 and 2023 Pan American Games.
Professional athletics career Romani has held the Brazilian shot put record since 2012. He surpassed the mark again in early 2015 when he reached 20.90m.
At the 2016 Summer Olympics, in the Men's shot put, he broke the Brazilian record twice (20.94 metres in the qualifying round and 21.02 metres in the final), finishing 5th. It was the best participation of a Brazilian in the event.
In March 2018, he finished 4th place in the Indoor World Championship, with a 21.37 mark, a new indoor South American record.
In early September 2018, representing the Americas in the IAAF Continental Cup, Darlan won gold with a 21.89 weight-shot, defeating 2017 World Champion Tom Walsh.
On 15 September 2018, he became the first South American to reach the mark of 22 m. In the Brazil Trophy, he got the exact mark of 22.00, again breaking the South American record. Fewer than 30 athletes have achieved this mark throughout the history of the event.
At the end of 2018, he won the trophy for Best Athlete in Athletics at the Brazil Olympic Award.
In June 2019, at the Eugene stage of the Diamond League, he obtained the 10th-best mark (by athlete) in History in the Shot Put, 22.61. He broke the South American record three times in the same event (22.46, 22.55, and 22.61).
At the 2019 Pan American Games held in Lima, Peru, even though he had a throat infection that left him with a severe fever the day before the race, Romani won the gold medal, beating the Pan American Games record with the mark of 22.07 m.
At the 2019 World Athletics Championships held in Doha, Qatar, the greatest and strongest competition of all time in the Shot Put was held. Tom Walsh threw 22.90m on the first try. Romani threw 22.53m on his second attempt, which put him in second place at that moment. American Ryan Crouser threw 22.71m on his fourth attempt, putting Romani back in 3rd place. On their last puts, the American Joe Kovacs threw 22.91m, and Crouser got 22.90m, both finishing with gold and silver, with Walsh finishing with the bronze. Romani finished in 4th place, the only one who put over 22 m, along with the three medalists. It was the best result for Brazil in the World Championships in this competition. Since 1990 no one had thrown a weight over 22.80m, and the top four places in this competition (including Romani) broke the World Championship record of 22.23m.Em final épica, Darlan Romani fica perto da medalha no Mundial: "Incrível o que aconteceu"Doha final redefines men's shot putTom Walsh's 'bitter taste bronze' medal after breaking - then losing - the world shot put championship record
In the Diamond League 2019, he finished as runner-up overall.
Romani had several complications with training in 2020 and 2021: he and his family contracted COVID. Romani lost 10 kg in 14 days. Because his training centre was closed in 2020, he had to improvise on the ground next to his house. Without proper training equipment, in early 2021, pain from a herniated disc forced him to take a break for 45 days of rehabilitation. He also had problems with not being able to train with his coach for several months. Romani overcame these adversities and qualified for the Olympics. Taking part in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Romani calmly qualified for the final with a mark of 21.31. In the final, Romani had a good first shot of 21.88, but, not being in his best form due to problems in the period before the Games, he couldn't get a shot over 22 meters in the later shots, finishing in 4th place. The bronze medal went to Tom Walsh with 22.47. The 4th position, however, is the best in the history of Brazil in this event in the Olympic Games.
On 19 March 2022, Romani became World Champion, defeating Ryan Crouser, world record holder and Olympic champion of the event, who had not lost a competition in the last three years. Romani surpassed his South American indoor record of 21.71, which had been set a month earlier. He achieved the mark of 22.53, beating the record of the World Athletics Indoor Championships.
At the 2022 World Athletics Championships, Romani was unable to throw over 22m in the final, finishing 5th, with a mark of 21.92.Darlan Romani pede desculpas após 5º lugar no arremesso de peso
At the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Romani qualified in 1st place with a mark of 22.37m. However, in the final, he finished 8th with a mark of 21.41m.Darlan Romani fica em oitavo no arremesso do peso no Mundial
At the 2023 Pan American Games, Romani became two-time champion of the event, winning gold with a mark of 21.36 m.Darlan Romani é bicampeão do arremesso de peso em dia de três pratas para o Brasil nos Jogos Pan-Americanos 2023
A few days before participating in the 2024 Olympic Games, Romani had to withdraw from the competition after a medical evaluation detected a herniated disc in the shot putter, who would have to undergo surgery.Darlan Romani não vai participar das Olimpíadas de Paris 2024
Competition record Representing 2008South American Youth ChampionshipsLima, Peru2ndShot put (5 kg)17.06 m2009South American Junior ChampionshipsSão Paulo, Brazil2ndShot put (6 kg)16.99 m2010World Junior ChampionshipsMoncton, Canada7thShot put (6 kg)18.58 m2012Ibero-American ChampionshipsBarquisimeto, Venezuela3rdShot put18.93 mSouth American U23 ChampionshipsSão Paulo, Brazil1stShot put19.93 m2013South American ChampionshipsCartagena, Colombia2ndShot put19.64 m2014South American GamesSantiago, Chile2ndShot put19.96 mIbero-American ChampionshipsSão Paulo, Brazil2ndShot put19.64 mPan American Sports FestivalMexico City, Mexico2ndShot put20.03 m A2015South American ChampionshipsLima, Peru2ndShot put20.32 mPan American GamesToronto, Canada6thShot put19.74 mWorld Championships Beijing, China15th (q)Shot put19.86 mMilitary World Games Mungyeong, South Korea1stShot put20.08 m2016World Indoor Championships Portland, United States18thShot put18.50 m (NR)Ibero-American ChampionshipsRio de Janeiro, Brazil1stShot put19.67 mOlympic GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil5thShot put21.02 m (NR)2017South American ChampionshipsAsunción, Paraguay1stShot put21.02 mWorld Championships London, United Kingdom15th (q)Shot put20.21 m2018World Indoor ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom4thShot put21.37 mSouth American GamesCochabamba, Bolivia1stShot put21.21 mIbero-American ChampionshipsTrujillo, Peru1stShot put20.74 mContinental CupOstrava, Czech Republic1stShot put21.89 m21.89m was his best result in the event. In the final throw, which gave him first place, Romani did 21.68m2019South American ChampionshipsLima, Peru1stShot put21.00 mPan American GamesLima, Peru1stShot put22.07 mWorld ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar4thShot put22.53 mMilitary World GamesWuhan, China1stShot put22.36 m2021Olympic GamesTokyo, Japan4thShot put21.88 m2022South American Indoor ChampionshipsCochabamba, Bolivia1stShot put21.71 mWorld Indoor ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia1stShot put22.53 mIbero-American ChampionshipsLa Nucía, Spain1stShot put21.70 mWorld ChampionshipsEugene, United States5thShot put21.92 m2023World ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary8thShot put21.41 mPan American GamesSantiago, Chile1stShot put21.36 m2024South American Indoor ChampionshipsCochabamba, Bolivia1stShot put21.10 mWorld Indoor ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdom7thShot put21.11 mIbero-American ChampionshipsCuiabá, Brazil2ndShot put20.53 m
Personal bests Shot put (outdoor): 22.61 m – Palo Alto, United States, 30 June 2019Romani Personal Best Shot put (indoor): 22.53 m – Belgrade, Serbia, 19 March 2022Darlan Romani honours
Season's best Source:Romani's Progression 2012 – 20.48 2013 – 20.08 2014 – 20.84 2015 – 20.90 2016 – 21.02 2017 – 21.82 2018 – 22.00 2019 – 22.61 2020 – 21.52 2021 – 21.88 2022 – 22.53 2023 – 22.37 2024 – 21.52
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