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5 Shot Put Videos of World Record Holders
Would you like some shot put videos to get you pumped to toss the heavy ball today? You can find video of 5 world record holders below that should really push you through today’s throwing session.
Like the discus throw, the world records for shot put are among the oldest in track and field. The men’s records have been around since 1990 outdoors and 1989 indoors. For women, the top marks have been unchanged since 1977 indoors and 1987 outdoors. That just means that your probably shouldn’t expect 4k resolution below, but there is still plenty of awesome footage that is worth taking a look at for motivation, technical analysis, or just sheer entertainment value.
Randy Barnes
Competing for the United States, Barnes has the men’s world record both indoors and outdoors, which were set about 1 year and 4 months apart from each other. He earned a silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games before earning gold at the 1996 Olympics.
Below is video of Barnes heaving an outdoor men’s shot put world record distance of 23.12 meters or 75 feet, 10 and 1/4 inches. This was thrown in Los Angeles, California on May 20, 1990 on the campus of UCLA. The 23.12 meter put still stands as the farthest any man or woman has thrown the shot.
Bonus: Below is video of Barnes’ indoor world record of 22.66 meters, which is 74 feet, 4 and 1/4 inches. This was thrown at the 1989 Sunkist Games, also held in Los Angeles, California.
Natalya Lisovskaya
Lisovskaya, who competed for the Soviet Union, threw a mark of 22.63 meters, which is 74 feet and 3 inches, on June 7, 1987 in Moscow. Below is footage of her throwing 21.74 meters in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. She would go on to win gold in those Olympics.
Brian Oldfield
Oldfield, who is from the United States, technically never set an official world record, but he was the first person to ever throw 75 feet. As he was considered a “professional” athlete at the time, the mark couldn’t be ratified as a best. Still, in 1975 he threw a distance of 75, something no other man would top for 12 years. After his pro career, and at the age of 38 years old, he would set the American Record with a toss of 22.19 meters, or 72 feet and 9 inches, in 1984. You can see the passion and intensity he had as a thrower in the footage below from his 75 foot toss.
Helena Fibingerova
Competing for the Czech Republic, Fibingerova put an indoor world record of 22.50 meters, which is 73 feet and 10 inches, in February of 1977. You can see video of her putting the shot in the 1983 World Championships below, where she finished first. She also finished 7th in the 1972 Munich Games and earned a bronze medal in the 1976 Olympic Games, held in Montreal, Canada.
Parry O’Brien
No list like this would be complete without Parry O’Brien. Between 1953 and 1959, he would further the world record an amazing 10 times. He also earned Gold Medals in the 1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, while adding a silver in 1960 in Rome. O’Brien may be best known for popularizing the “glide” technique in shot put, so much so that it would become known as the “O’Brien style”. His massive success in the event helped make the glide the dominant technique for decades. O’Brien, an American, passed away in 2007 at the age of 75.
Shot put is one of the most historic events in track in field. These videos are a great commemoration of the event and can remind you of why it is sofun. Which of these do you enjoy watching the most? Be sure to also check out the discus list.
