Men's shot put world record progression

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

Indoor

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

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