Athletics at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games:

As in 1992 the favorites were Belarussian Nataliya Shikolenko and Norway's Trine Hattestad. Hattestad was World Champion in 1993 while Shikolenko won that title in 1995, with Hattestad winning the 1994 European Championship. Shikolenko was decidedly off form in Atlanta. Her second throw hit an overhead camera cable, and although she was allowed to throw again, she would finish only 12th. Finland's Heli Rantanen was the first thrower in the final, and recorded 67.94 (222-10¾) with that throw, which would win her the gold medal. Hattestad was able to win bronze, but the surprise silver medalist was Australian Louise McPaul, 1994 Commonwealth Games champion, who moved up from fourth place in the final round.