Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Women's shot put
The women's shot put field event at the 1972 Olympic Games took place on September 4 & 7. Nadezhda Chizhova was very disappointed with her bronze medal finish in 1968 Olympics. She has won the European Athletics Championships. Since 1968 she has broken the world record six times. The only threat for the gold medal came from Margitta Gummel the defending Olympic Champion.Results
All throwers reaching and the top 12 including ties, advanced to the finals. All qualifiers are listen in blue. All distances are listed in metres.Qualifying
Final
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Mark | 1st throw | 2nd throw | 3rd throw | 4th throw | 5th throw | 6th throw |
| Nadezhda Chizhova | | 21.03
WR | 21.03 | 20.36 | 20.58 | 19.97 | x | x |
| Margitta Gummel | | 20.22 | 18.46 | 18.83 | 19.55 | 20.22 | 19.53 | x |
| Ivanka Khristova | | 19.35 | 19.35 | x | 19.22 | x | 18.82 | 18.95 |
| 4 | Esfir Dolzhenko | | 19.24 | 18.43 | 19.24 | x | 18.74 | x | x |
| 5 | Marianne Adam | | 18.94 | 18.75 | x | 18.58 | 18.94 | 18.91 | 18.71 |
| 6 | Marita Lange | | 18.85 | x | 18.46 | 18.29 | 18.85 | 18.38 | 18.71 |
| 7 | Helena Fibingerová | | 18.81 | 18.62 | x | x | 18.59 | 18.81 | x |
| 8 | Elena Stoyanova | | 18.34 | 18.24 | 17.75 | 18.34 | x | 17.55 | x |
| 9 | Antonina Ivanova | | 18.28 | 18.28 | 17.99 | 17.98 | - | - | - |
| 10 | Ludwika Chewińska | | 18.24 | 17.71 | 18.24 | 17.73 | - | - | - |
| 11 | Judit Bognár | | 18.23 | 17.93 | 17.97 | 18.23 | - | - | - |
| 12 | Radostina Vasekova | | 17.86 | 17.86 | 17.48 | 17.52 | - | - | - |
| 13 | Valentina Cioltan | | 16.62 | 16.37 | 16.62 | x | - | - | - |
Key: WR = world record; p = pass; x = fault
