History of the Shot Put
Event Depth Chart . . .
Shot Put
Homer makes mention of competitions of rock throwing by soldiers during
the siege of Troy. In the XVI century King Henry VIII was noted for his
prowess in court competitions of weight and hammer throwing and in the XVII
century English soldiers organised cannonball throwing competitions.
The rules of the competition were first established in 1860, when the throw
had to be made from a square with sides of seven feet (2.13m).
This was replaced in 1906 by a seven foot diameter circle. The weight of
the shot was fixed at 16 pounds (7.257 kg). Bent arm throws were outlawed
for being too dangerous and competitors had to hold the shot in the crook
of the neck prior to release.
The sidestep action in the circle was invented in the United States in 1876.In
1951 Parry O'Brien (USA) refined a new technique. From a start position
facing the back of the circle, O'Brien rotated 180 degrees to move across
the circle before making the final release. This helped him become the first
to break the 18m (and subsequently the 19m) barrier.
In 1976 Aleksandr Baryshnikov pioneered the rotational technique, similar
to that used by discus throwers, which has become increasingly popular.