The first world record in the men's shot put was recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1912. That inaugural record was the 15.54 m performance by Ralph Rose in 1909. [1]
As of June 21, 2009, 51 world records have been ratified by the IAAF in the event. [1] The distances by these men were accomplished with a 16-pound shot. Rose's 1909 record lasted almost 19 years, and the record was untouched for almost a dozen years surrounding World War II. The record was improved upon five times in 1960 and four times in 1934. The record set in 1990 held for over 31 years before it was broken in 2021. The current world record was set in 2023. Since 1954, marks set in Los Angeles have stood for 42 of those years and counting.
Ratified | |
Not ratified | |
Ratified but later rescinded | |
Pending ratification |
Mark | Athlete | Date | Location |
---|---|---|---|
15.54 m | ![]() | 21 August 1909 | San Francisco, U.S. [1] |
15.79 m | ![]() | 6 May 1928 | Breslau, Germany [1] |
15.87 m | ![]() | 29 June 1928 | Amsterdam, Netherlands [1] |
16.04 m | ![]() | 26 August 1928 | Bochum, Germany [1] |
16.04 m | ![]() | 4 October 1931 | Brno, Czechoslovakia [1] |
16.05 m | ![]() | 29 June 1932 | Poznań, Poland [1] |
16.16 m | ![]() | 27 August 1932 | Freeport, U.S. [1] |
16.20 m | ![]() | 24 September 1932 | Prague, Czechoslovakia [1] |
16.48 m | ![]() | 21 April 1934 | Palo Alto, U.S. [1] |
16.80 m | ![]() | 27 April 1934 | Des Moines, U.S. [1] |
16.89 m | ![]() | 30 June 1934 | Milwaukee, U.S. [1] |
17.40 m | ![]() | 5 August 1934 | Oslo, Norway [1] |
17.68 m | ![]() | 17 April 1948 | Lawrence, U.S. [1] |
17.79 m | ![]() | 28 July 1949 | Oslo, Norway [1] |
17.82 m | ![]() | 29 April 1950 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
17.90 m | ![]() | 20 August 1950 | Visby, Sweden [1] |
17.95 m | ![]() | 22 August 1950 | Eskilstuna, Sweden [1] |
18.00 m | ![]() | 9 May 1953 | Fresno, U.S. [1] |
18.04 m | ![]() | 5 June 1953 | Compton, U.S. [1] |
18.42 m | ![]() | 8 May 1954 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
18.43 m | ![]() | 21 May 1954 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
18.54 m | ![]() | 11 June 1954 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
18.62 m | ![]() | 5 May 1956 | Salt Lake City, U.S. [1] |
18.69 m | ![]() | 15 June 1956 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
19.06 m | ![]() | 3 September 1956 | Eugene, U.S. [1] |
19.25 m | ![]() | 1 November 1956 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
19.25 m | ![]() | 28 March 1959 | Santa Barbara, U.S. [1] |
19.30 m | ![]() | 1 August 1959 | Albuquerque, U.S. [1] |
19.38 m | ![]() | 5 March 1960 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
19.45 m | ![]() | 19 March 1960 | Palo Alto, U.S. [1] |
19.67 m | ![]() | 26 March 1960 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
19.99 m | ![]() | 2 April 1960 | Austin, U.S. [1] |
20.06 m | ![]() | 12 August 1960 | Walnut, U.S. [1] |
20.08 m | ![]() | 18 May 1962 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
20.10 m | ![]() | 4 April 1964 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
20.20 m | ![]() | 29 May 1964 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
20.68 m | ![]() | 25 July 1964 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
21.52 m | ![]() | 8 May 1965 | College Station, U.S. [1] |
21.78 m | ![]() | 23 April 1967 | College Station [1] |
21.82 m | ![]() | 5 May 1973 | San Jose, U.S. [1] |
22.86 m | ![]() | 10 May 1975 | El Paso, United States |
21.85 m | ![]() | 21 February 1976 | Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. [1] |
22.00 m | ![]() | 10 June 1976 | Paris, France [1] |
22.15 m | ![]() | 6 July 1978 | Gothenburg, Sweden [1] |
22.22 m | ![]() | 25 June 1983 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
22.62 m | ![]() | 22 September 1985 | Berlin, Germany [1] |
22.64 m | ![]() | 20 August 1986 | Berlin, Germany [1] |
22.72 m | ![]() | 12 August 1987 | Viareggio, Italy [1] |
22.84 m | ![]() | 12 August 1987 | Viareggio, Italy [1] |
22.91 m | ![]() | 12 August 1987 | Viareggio, Italy [1] |
23.06 m | ![]() | 22 May 1988 | Chania, Greece [1] |
23.12 m | ![]() | 20 May 1990 | Los Angeles, U.S. [1] |
23.37 m | ![]() | 18 June 2021 | Eugene, U.S. [2] |
23.56 m | ![]() | 27 May 2023 | Westwood, U.S. [3] |
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