The first world record in the men's shot put was recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1912. That inaugural record was the 15.54 m performance by Ralph Rose in 1909.

As of June 21, 2009, 51 world records had been ratified by the IAAF in the event. The distances by these men were accomplished with a 16-pound shot. Rose's 1909 record lasted almost 19 years, and the record was untouched for almost a dozen years surrounding World War II. The record was improved upon five times in 1960 and four times in 1934. The record set in 1990 held for over 31 years before it was broken in 2021. The current world record was set in 2023. Since 1954, marks set in Los Angeles have stood for 42 of those years and counting.

World record progression Ratified Not ratified Ratified but later rescinded Pending ratification

Indoor Only records since Günthör's 22.26 m in 1987 were ratified by the IAAF.

+ Men's shot put indoor world record progression Mark Athlete Date Location 9 April 1887 New York 19 November 1887 New York 15 February 1890 Boston 1 February 1903 New York 8 March 1904 New York 25 February 1905 Medford, Massachusetts 27 February 1926 Champaign 6 March 1926 Chicago 2 March 1929 Frankfurt 28 March 1929 Seattle 8 March 1930 Frankfurt 18 March 1930 New York 13 February 1932 Boston 17 February 1932 New York 25 February 1935 Charlotte 17 February 1940 New York 17 February 1940 New York 24 February 1940 New York 21 June 1940 Minneapolis 1 March 1941 New York 7 February 1948 East Lansing 21 February 1948 Ann Arbor 4 February 1950 Boston 11 February 1950 New York 10 February 1951 New York 20 February 1954 New York 19 February 1955 New York 11 February 1956 New York 18 February 1956 New York 8 February 1958 Frankfurt 21 February 1959 New York 12 March 1960 Milwaukee 21 January 1961 Los Angeles 2 February 1962 New York 16 February 1962 New York 16 February 1962 New York 12 February 1965 Fort Worth 13 February 1965 Dallas 7 January 1967 San Francisco 28 January 1967 Portland 28 January 1967 Portland 28 January 1967 Portland 10 February 1967 Fort Worth 10 February 1967 Fort Worth 5 February 1972 Pocatello 27 January 1973 Portland 23 February 1973 New York 26 January 1974 Portland 1 February 1974 San Francisco 8 February 1974 Inglewood 8 February 1974 Inglewood 8 February 1974 Inglewood 16 February 1985 Senftenberg 8 February 1987 Magglingen 20 January 1989 Los Angeles 24 January 2021 Fayetteville, AR

Outdoor MarkAthleteDateLocation 15.54 m 21 August 1909 San Francisco, U.S. 15.79 m 6 May 1928 Breslau, Germany 15.87 m 29 July 1928 Amsterdam, Netherlands 16.04 m 26 August 1928 Bochum, Germany 16.04 m 4 October 1931 Brno, Czechoslovakia 16.05 m 29 June 1932 Poznań, Poland 16.16 m 27 August 1932 Freeport, U.S. 16.20 m 24 September 1932 Prague, Czechoslovakia 16.48 m 21 April 1934 Palo Alto, U.S. 16.80 m 27 April 1934 Des Moines, U.S. 16.89 m 30 June 1934 Milwaukee, U.S. 17.40 m 5 August 1934 Oslo, Norway 17.68 m 17 April 1948 Lawrence, U.S. 17.79 m 28 July 1949 Oslo, Norway 17.82 m 29 April 1950 Los Angeles, U.S. 17.90 m 20 August 1950 Visby, Sweden 17.95 m 22 August 1950 Eskilstuna, Sweden 18.00 m 9 May 1953 Fresno, U.S. 18.04 m 5 June 1953 Compton, U.S. 18.42 m 8 May 1954 Los Angeles, U.S. 18.43 m 21 May 1954 18.54 m 11 June 1954 18.62 m 5 May 1956 Salt Lake City, U.S. 18.69 m 15 June 1956 Los Angeles, U.S. 19.06 m 3 September 1956 Eugene, U.S. 19.25 m 1 November 1956 Los Angeles, U.S. 19.25 m 28 March 1959 Santa Barbara, U.S. 19.30 m 1 August 1959 Albuquerque, U.S. 19.38 m 5 March 1960 Los Angeles, U.S. 19.45 m 19 March 1960 Palo Alto, U.S. 19.67 m 26 March 1960 Los Angeles, U.S. 19.99 m 2 April 1960 Austin, U.S. 20.06 m 12 August 1960 Walnut, U.S. 20.08 m 18 May 1962 Los Angeles, U.S. 20.10 m 4 April 1964 20.20 m 29 May 1964 20.68 m 25 July 1964 21.52 m 8 May 1965 College Station, U.S. 21.78 m 23 April 1967 21.82 m 5 May 1973 San Jose, U.S. 22.86 m 10 May 1975 El Paso, United States 21.85 m 21 February 1976 Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. 22.00 m 10 June 1976 Paris, France 22.15 m 6 July 1978 Gothenburg, Sweden 22.22 m 25 June 1983 Los Angeles, U.S. 22.62 m 22 September 1985 Berlin, Germany 22.64 m 20 August 1986 22.72 m 12 August 1987 Viareggio, Italy 22.84 m 22.91 m 23.06 m 22 May 1988 Chania, Greece 23.12 m 20 May 1990 Los Angeles, U.S. 23.37 m 18 June 2021 Eugene, U.S.23.56 m27 May 2023Westwood, U.S.

See also Women's shot put world record progression

References