Each athlete received three throws in the qualifying round. All who achieved the qualifying distance progressed to the final. If less than twelve athletes would achieve this mark, then the twelve furthest throwing athletes would reach the final. Each finalist was allowed three throws in last round, with the top eight athletes after that point being given three further attempts. In the finals, Valerie Adams, the defending champion, took the lead in the first throw, but Nadzeya Ostapchuk, who was third in the 2008 Olympic competition, overtook the lead in the second throw and remained the leader until the end of the competition. Gong Lijiao remained third until the last throw, when she was overtaken by Yevgeniya Kolodko. The 2008 silver medalist, Natallia Mikhnevich, qualified for the final, but remained in last place. On 13 August 2012, IOC announced that Nadzeya Ostapchuk had tested positive for metenolone both before and after winning the shot put event. She was formally expelled from the games and her victory and medal removed from the records. The gold medal was then awarded to Valerie Adams, the silver to Yevgeniya Kolodko, and the bronze to Gong Lijiao. On 20 August 2016, the IOC announced Yevgeniya Kolodko, the Russian silver medalist, failed anti-doping test and her silver medal was stripped. Gong Lijiao ended up with the silver instead.
Qual. rule: qualification standard 18.90m or at least best 12 qualified.
Rank
Group
Name
Nationality
#1
#2
#3
Result
Notes
1
A
x
20.40
20.40
Q
3
A
Li Ling
18.86
19.23
19.23
Q
4
B
Gong Lijiao
19.11
19.11
Q
5
B
Liu Xiangrong
18.87
18.96
18.96
Q
6
B
18.55
18.59
18.76
18.76
q
7
A
18.27
18.63
x
18.63
q
8
A
18.44
18.43
18.62
18.62
q
9
B
18.60
18.12
18.30
18.60
q
10
B
x
18.47
18.33
18.47
q
11
B
18.45
18.23
18.17
18.45
q
12
A
18.26
18.36
18.34
18.36
13
B
x
18.06
18.36
18.36
14
A
17.91
18.14
18.30
18.30
15
A
18.22
17.99
17.51
18.22
16
B
17.99
x
x
17.99
17
B
17.68
17.87
17.69
17.87
18
A
17.78
x
17.73
17.78
19
B
17.21
17.72
17.29
17.72
20
B
17.68
17.61
17.35
17.68
21
A
17.17
17.55
17.42
17.55
22
A
17.48
17.32
x
17.48
23
A
16.29
17.04
17.48
17.48
24
A
17.47
x
x
17.47
25
B
Lin Chia-ying
16.74
17.43
x
17.43
NR
26
A
16.76
16.64
x
16.76
27
A
16.50
16.07
x
16.50
28
B
15.84
16.16
x
16.16
29
B
15.80
15.75
15.11
15.80
30
A
14.35
14.43
14.43
B
x
x
x
A
20.76
20.76
DQ Q
B
19.31
19.31
DQ Q
Notes: Nadzeya Ostapchuk would originally qualify first, with the longest throw, and had taken part in the Final as such. Due to her doping violations, these results were annulled in August 2012. Yevgeniya Kolodko would originally qualify third, with the third longest throw, and had taken part in the Final as such. Due to her doping violations, these results were annulled in August 2016.
Final
Rank
Name
Nationality
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
Result
Notes
20.61
X
20.70
X
X
20.24
20.70
Gong Lijiao
20.13
19.67
19.91
19.76
20.22
20.00
20.22
Li Ling
18.87
18.77
19.28
X
19.63
19.58
19.63
4
19.05
18.83
18.92
19.42
19.12
18.88
19.42
5
Liu Xiangrong
19.18
18.88
18.74
X
18.47
18.77
19.18
6
18.27
X
19.02
X
X
17.19
19.02
7
19.00
18.80
X
19.00
8
18.80
18.70
18.62
18.80
NR
9
18.20
18.47
X
18.47
10
18.42
X
18.27
18.42
20.01
21.31
21.36
21.15
21.32
X
21.36
19.45
19.52
X
X
X
20.48
20.48
Notes: Nadzeya Ostapchuk and Yevgeniya Kolodko originally placed first and third, but had these results annulled due to doping violations.
