If the size of the shot put ball is very small, one may wonder how much this object weighs. Find out the answer.
The shot put is simply one of the oldest events in the Olympic Games. It has been present since the very first edition in 1896 in Athens. The goal is simple: to throw the ball as far as possible from a circle with a stop located in the throwing area. Depending on the competition, the components of this ball vary. Indeed, depending on the coating used on the landing zone, the ball can be made of solid metal or a weighted metal shell, or even soft plastic or rubber with appropriate filling.
On the other hand, one thing does not vary according to the competitions. The weight is the same whether it is at the Olympic Games, the World Championships or the European Championships. For men, the projectile has a mass of 7.257 kilograms compared to 4 kilograms for women. To throw this ball, the athletes place themselves in an area of 2.133 meters in diameter. The throwing method is the same. You have to place the projectile between the neck and the shoulder and push your throwing arm to try to reach the furthest distance. The measurement is then taken on the first impact on the ground.
Currently, athletes can vary their throwing techniques. Indeed, some will favor the more explosive method with a direct turn. Others will prefer rotation as can be seen in discus throwing.
A hunting activity
Before being a sport, shot put was a hunting and defense activity. The question of the weight of the shot was therefore not asked until 1860 when the activity arrived in Europe where the first regulations were introduced. One-handed throwing would become widespread, as would the method at the end of the 19th century to avoid injuries.
The Olympic record was set at the last Olympics in Tokyo by the United States athlete Ryan Crouser with 23.30m. The latter also holds the world record with a throw of 23.56m last year in Los Angeles. In the women’s category, the Olympic record dates back to the 1980 edition and is held by the German Ilona Slupianek with 22.41m.
This year, during the Paris Olympics 2024the shot put events will be part of the athletics program and will take place at the Stade de France on August 2 and 3 for men and August 8 and 9 for women.