Olympics: Women's Shot Put Preview

Women’s Shot Put

Qualifying 9:05 AM Friday, August 12^th

Final 9:00 PM Friday, August 12^th

World Record: Natalya Lisovskaya (Russia) 22.63m, 1987

Best Mark Past 10 Years: Nadezhda Ostapchuk (Belarus) 21.58m, 2012

Olympic Record: Ilona Slupianek (East Germany) 22.41m, 1980

A Standard: 17.75m

2012 Olympic Medalists

Valerie Adams (New Zealand) 20.70, Evgeniia Kolodko (Russia) 20.48, Lijiao Gong (China) 20.22

2015 World Championship Medalists

Christina Schwanitz (Germany) 20.37, Lijiao Gong (China) 20.30, Michelle Carter (USA) 19.76

2016 World Leaders

Lijiao Gong (China) 20.43, Valerie Adams (New Zealand) 20.19, Christina Schwanitz (Germany) 20.17

Team USA

Michelle Carter, 30 (20.24/19.59) Raven Saunders, 20 (19.33/19.33), Felisha Johnson, 27 (19.26/19.26)

In the first field event final of the Games, we will witness one of the most exciting gold medal battles of the meet. The favorite is two time defending Olympic Champion Valerie Adams (one of Steven’s sister) of New Zealand who has been one of the clutchest throwers in the world. She won global titles in 07, 08, 09, 11, 12 and 13. Her PR is 21.24 from 2011. However, after a year out of competition, other challengers have emerged confident and ready to challenge.

The world leader is China’s Lijiao Gong who threw a PR of 20.43 this May. She has been so close to a global title over the past 8 seasons, but has yet to pull through for victory. Last season, on home turf, she grabbed 2^nd in the world. That title was won by Germany’s Christina Schwanitz, currently ranked 3^rd in the world with 4 of the top 7 throws overall. She holds a PR of 20.77 from 2015 and won’t go quietly against the defending Olympic champ Adams.

The Wildcard to break up the medals is last year’s bronze medalist Michelle Carter of the United States. Indoors, she defeated some of the top throwers in the world and uncorked a massive 20.21 for the gold on home soil. However, this outdoors she has struggled to break the 20 meter mark. The USA’s top thrower by distance is actually Tia Brooks who failed to qualify for the Rio squad at the Trials. I’m hoping Carter’s indoor breakthrough was a sign of potential to surprise in Brazil, however, she will need to throw significantly better than she has so far this spring. It's worth noting that, according to the IAAF preview, no US woman has medaled in the shot put in 56 years.

Felisha Johnson and Raven Saunders are #8 and #7 so far in 2016 and have each thrown personal bests this season. Saunders is just 20 years old with a ton of potential for the future in her first year as a global contender. However, neither of their bests (low 19s) put them quite in medal position. That being said, both have a great shot at making the final and perhaps sneaking in and getting 6 throws a piece to reset those PRs. Saunders will be especially fun to watch after her performance to end her collegiate season. How can she handle the extra weeks of training and re-peaking?

Ultimately, I’m going with Adams to get the win. I just like her resume of clutch performances. However, I think Gong may have the best shot at the upset. She seems to be ascending at the right time and is still hungry for that first gold. Fingers crossed that Carter can find her way onto the medal stand.

1.      Adams, 2. Schwartz, 3. Gong