Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Women's shot put

Galina Zybina left the previous Olympics with the world record at 15.28 m (50 ft 1 ¹⁄₂ in). Since then she had improved upon her own record seven times, the last was just over a month earlier taking it to 16.76 m (54 ft 11 ³⁄₄ in). Her still standing Olympic record survived the qualifying round, the farthest throw only 14.43m. In the first round, returning silver medalist Marianne Werner set the new record with 15.61m. That only stood until Zybina threw 16.35m, to add a meter to the old record and surpass Werner by over two feet. Later Tamara Tyshkevich threw 16.13m to take over silver position. Zybina threw 16.32m on her second attempt, which was matched by Tyshkevich on her third, putting her only 3 cm behind. Zybina's fifth throw went 16.48m, another Olympic record. On her final attempt, Tyshkevich threw it 16.59 m (54 ft 5 in), another Olympic record. Zybina answered with her best attempt of the day, but 16.53m would no longer qualify as the Olympic record and only got her a silver medal.

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• Results