Shot Put has been around as a sporting activity in one form or another for hundreds of years.
But it was only in the Middle Ages that cannonballs or shots were used.
So how heavy is a shooting ball?
The men’s balls weigh 16.01 pounds (7.26 kg) for competition, while the women’s balls weigh 8.8 pounds (4 kg).
Shot puts are made from a variety of materials.
The men’s shot put competition has been represented at every Olympic Games since 1896.
This technique involves pushing the shot put, after having held it on the neck.
Two main techniques are used, which include glide and spin.
What is the world record in the shot put?
The men’s world record is currently held by Randy Barnes.
The American has held this record since 1990, when he broke the record with a throw of 23.12 meters (75.85 feet).
Natalya Lisovskaya of Russia holds the world record in the women’s shot put, with a throw of 22.63 meters (74.24 feet).
~ Curiosity ~ The technique used to throw a shot put is fundamental.
Early techniques limited the distance athletes could throw this item.
Over the span of about 70 years, the distance athletes could throw these balls doubled. In the 1870s, 31 feet was the world record held by J.M. Mann from the USA.
But when US athlete Parry O’Brien introduced his new technique in the 1950s, he was capable of reaching distances of over 62 1/2 feet!