Jessica Schilder won the women’s shot put at Birmingham 2026 with a throw of 20.73 metres.
The decisive mark came in Schilder’s sixth and final round. She had to wait until the last attempt to produce the throw that secured her third straight European outdoor title, turning a closely watched competition into a dramatic conclusion.
Schilder’s performance was significant beyond the medal itself. The 20.73-metre throw was the longest winning mark in the women’s shot put at a European Athletics Championships during the 21st century. It also confirmed her position as the dominant European shot-putter of the period.
The Netherlands produced a one-two finish, with Jorinde van Klinken taking silver. Germany’s Yemisi Mabry completed the podium. Those three athletes had also filled the podium in the same order at the 2024 championships in Rome.
The event was held on the opening evening in Birmingham. Schilder’s victory was the first gold-medal result of the entire 2026 championships, before the programme moved on to other track and field finals.