Best Shot Put Athletes of All Time
Who are the greatest shot put athletes of all time? Explore the leading athletes in Sport Ranking’s historical Athletics ranking, based on results from major international competitions across different eras.
Greatest Men’s Shot Put Athletes
Shot put Men
| # | Athlete | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Crouser | United States | 181 |
| 2 | Joe Kovacs | United States | 138 |
| 3 | Parry O'Brien | United States | 137 |
| 4 | Ralph Rose | United States | 118 |
| 5 | Tom Walsh | New Zealand | 116 |
| 6 | Randy Barnes | United States | 108 |
| 7 | Adam Nelson | United States | 106 |
| 8 | John Godina | United States | 97 |
| 9 | Reese Hoffa | United States | 93 |
| 10 | Christian Cantwell | United States | 92 |
Greatest Women’s Shot Put Athletes
Shot put Women
| # | Athlete | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valerie Adams | New Zealand | 256 |
| 2 | Gong Lijiao | China | 141 |
| 2 | Natalya Lisovskaya | Russia | 141 |
| 4 | Nadezhda Chizhova | Soviet Union | 122 |
| 5 | Astrid Kumbernuss | Germany | 120 |
| 6 | Chase Jackson | United States | 94 |
| 7 | Svetlana Krivelyova | Russia | 89 |
| 8 | Tamara Press | Soviet Union | 88 |
| 9 | Galina Zybina | Soviet Union | 85 |
| 10 | Helena Fibingerová | Czechoslovakia | 82 |
How the All-Time Ranking Works
The ranking is based on global and continental championships, which are weighted according to their importance on the international stage. The system also includes the Diamond League and its historical predecessors.
Team events are valued at three times the points of individual disciplines to increase their importance in national rankings, but they are not included in individual rankings. The World Athletics Awards do not count towards the discipline rankings, only towards the overall athletics ranking.
The achievement and holding of a world record are also rewarded, representing a significant performance milestone. Holding the world record on short distances has only been awarded points since the time of automatic timing.
Learn more about Athletics scoring →