The shot put is a track-and-field event where athletes "put" (push rather than throw) a heavy spherical metal ball called the shot as far as possible. The shot is put from the shoulder using one hand, and the objective is to achieve maximum distance
. Key details about shot put:
- The men's shot weighs 7.26 kg (16 pounds), and the women's shot weighs 4 kg (8.8 pounds)
- Competitors stand inside a circle 2.135 meters (7 feet) in diameter, with a 10 cm high stop board at the front
- The shot must land within a marked sector of about 34.92 degrees from the center of the circle
- Athletes use specific techniques to put the shot, mainly the glide and the spin, involving controlled body movements to generate power and momentum
- The shot must be held close to the neck or chin until release, and the arm cannot extend behind the shoulder during the put
- Fouls occur if the athlete steps outside the circle improperly, touches the stop board, or releases the shot incorrectly
The event has ancient origins in stone throwing and evolved through military competitions with cannonballs. It has been part of the modern Olympics since 1896 for men and since 1948 for women
. In summary, shot put is a strength and technique-based athletics event where a heavy metal ball is pushed from the shoulder within a circle to achieve the longest possible distance
