In the shot put, the shot weighs 7.26 kg for men. What does it weigh for women?

Under World Athletics rules, the shot used in the senior women's shot put weighs 4 kg, while the men's shot weighs 7.26 kg (16 pounds).

Shot put specifications:

• Men: 7.26 kg, diameter 110-130 mm.
• Women: 4 kg, diameter 95-110 mm.
• The shot is a solid ball of iron, brass or another metal.

How the event is held:

• The athlete throws ("puts") the shot from a circle 2.135 m (7 feet) in diameter.
• A curved wooden or metal stop board, about 10 cm high, is fixed at the front of the circle.
• The shot must be pushed from the shoulder with one hand, not thrown with a straight arm, and must start touching the neck or chin.
• It must land within a sector of about 34.92 degrees.
• The athlete must leave the circle from the rear half after the shot lands, or the throw is a foul.

Techniques:

• Glide technique: developed by the American Parry O'Brien in the 1950s; the thrower moves backwards across the circle in a straight line.
• Rotational (spin) technique: the thrower spins around like a discus thrower; it is now used by many top male athletes.

Indian connection:

Tajinderpal Singh Toor won gold at the 2018 and 2022 Asian Games and holds the Asian record.

Other throwing weights:

• Hammer: 7.26 kg (men), 4 kg (women), same as the shot.
• Discus: 2 kg (men), 1 kg (women).
• Javelin: 800 g (men), 600 g (women).

Why not the other options?

• ✗2 kg is the weight of the men's discus.
• ✗5 kg and 6 kg are used in some junior or youth categories, not senior women.