Eric Favors (born 16 November 1996)[1] is an American-born athlete who competes in the shot put for Ireland.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] He currently holds the Irish national record in the event.[9]
In 2019, Favors competed at the Summer Universiade, where he finished 10th in the shot put.
In 2022, Favors finished 10th overall at the European Throwing Cup, recording a best mark of 19.70 meters. He also participated in the European Athletics Championships, where he placed 15th in the qualification round, failing to advance to the final. Later that year, he competed in his first World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, finishing 20th out of 30 participants with a best throw of 19.76 meters, again not advancing to the final.
In 2023, Favors improved his performance at the European Throwing Cup, finishing 5th with a throw of 20.66 meters. He also played a significant role in Ireland's promotion at the 2023 European Games by winning the shot put event in Division 3, although he did not win a medal. At his second World Championships, Favors finished 23rd out of 37 competitors.
In April 2024 Eric Broke the National Record throwing 20.93m. Favors narrowly missed advancing to the final at the European Championships, finishing 14th, one place better than his 2022 performance. Despite not meeting the entry standards, he qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris based on his Olympic rankings. He finished 18th in the shot put with a best mark of 19.02 meters.
| 2019 | Universiade | 9th | Shot Put | 19.20 |
| 2022 | European Throwing Cup | 10th | 19.70 | |
| World Championships | 20th | 19.76 | ||
| European Championships | 15th | 19.71 | ||
| 2023 | European Throwing Cup | 5th | 20.66 | |
| World Championships | 23rd | 19.65 | ||
| 2024 | European Championships | 14th | 19.60 | |
| Olympic Games | 27th | 19.02 |
Eric Favors is eligible to represent Ireland due to his family connections in Ballina, County Mayo. Before focusing on athletics, Favors played American football in high school. He also maintains a YouTube channel with 11,100 subscribers, where he shares videos on shot put workouts and training sessions.