What are the shot, the circle and the stop board?
Officials' detail · The throw · 2 of 3The men's shot weighs 7.26 kg and the women's 4 kg. It is a smooth metal ball. The circle is 2.135 m across inside, with a rim level with the ground outside and a white stop board 10 cm high at the front. Shots are provided by the organisers, and an athlete's own may be allowed if it is certified and checked.
How it works
| Category | Weight | Diameter |
|---|---|---|
| Men | 7.260 kg | 110 to 130 mm |
| Under-20 men | 6 kg | 105 to 125 mm |
| Under-18 men | 5 kg | 100 to 120 mm |
| Women, including under-20 | 4 kg | 95 to 110 mm |
| Under-18 women | 3 kg | 85 to 110 mm |
- The shot: solid iron, brass or a metal no softer than brass. A shell of such metal with a filling is also allowed. It is a sphere with a smooth finish.
- The circle: an inside diameter of 2.135 m, give or take 5 mm. The rim is iron or steel, at least 6 mm thick and white, with its top level with the ground outside.
- The floor: concrete, asphalt or another firm surface that is not slippery, about 20 mm below the top of the rim.
- The stop board: white, curved to follow the rim, with its inner face in line with the inside of the rim. It is 1.21 m long, 0.112 m to 0.30 m wide and 0.10 m high above the floor of the circle.
- The white line: 50 mm wide, drawn out from the rim for at least 0.75 m on each side, level with the centre of the circle.
- Whose shots: the organisers provide them. The technical delegates may let athletes use their own, or ones from a supplier, if they are World Athletics certified, checked and marked before the competition and made available to every athlete.
- How many: normally no more than two of an athlete's own for an event.
- No changes: "No modification shall be made to any implements during the competition."
Tricky cases
Can an athlete throw their own shot?
It depends on the competition. The technical delegates may allow it if the implement is World Athletics certified and has been checked and marked beforehand. It then has to be available to all the athletes.
Can another athlete use an implement that someone else brought?
Yes. An athlete's own implement is accepted on the condition that it is made available to all.
Do men and women put from the same circle?
Yes. The circle is the same. Only the weight of the shot changes.
Is the top of the stop board part of the circle the athlete may use?
No. The athlete may touch its inner face only.
Why the rule exists
A throwing result means something only if everyone threw the same thing from the same place, so the rules fix the weight and shape to the millimetre and let only certified implements in. Making an approved shot available to every athlete stops anyone gaining from equipment the others cannot use.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 32.1 to 32.3; TR 32.6 to 32.8; TR 33.2 to 33.5 |
| Portable circle | Allowed in the shot put if it meets the same measurements | TR 32.6 |
| Older stop boards | Boards made to the 1983/84 specification remain acceptable | TR 33.2 (note) |
| Number of own implements | The technical delegates may allow more than two | TR 32.2 |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 32.1 to 32.3, 32.6 to 32.8 and 33.2 to 33.5, with the figures printed beside them. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).