The aims of this study are to present a biomechanical overview of the performances of the finalists the men’s shot put at the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Athletics and make comparisons of the techniques of the three medalists. Video recordings of the best throw by each of the top ten placed athletes were analysed. The authors looked at the technical differences between the glide and rotation techniques and between variations of the rotation, focusing on the acceleration profile, with reference to both the shot itself and the athlete’s body. They also analysed the sequence from athlete-shot system acceleration to the final acceleration of shot in the delivery. The results suggest that shot velocity alone is not enough to explain the process of acceleration as whole-body momentum is gained or maintained even as there is a marked decrease of shot velocity during flight and transition phases of the rotation technique.
