The Women's shot put event at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Daegu Stadium on August 28 and 29. There were two main contenders for the gold medal: New Zealander Valerie Vili (who returned to using her maiden name of Adams following her 2010 divorce) and Nadzeya Astapchuk of Belarus. Adams, with four straight wins on the Diamond League circuit, entered the competition as the defending champion and reigning Olympic champion. Astapchuk was the only other woman to have thrown over 20.50 m that season and held the world leading mark of 20.94 m. Other in-form throwers included Americans Jillian Camarena-Williams and Michelle Carter, and Chinese athletes Gong Lijiao and Li Ling. The 2009 silver medallist Nadine Kleinert and 2008 Olympic runner-up Natallia Mikhnevich wer