This made him the first Chinese man to win that title, building on the success of his female counterpart Mao Jiajou in 1974.

[1] The following year he defeated Toshihiro Yamada in Tokyo by over eight metres to take the gold medal at the 1979 Asian Athletics Championships.

Reflecting growing national prowess in the discipline, Li Xia also won the women's event that year.

He did compete at the alternative Liberty Bell Classic event held in the United States and was a clear winner with a throw of 89.12 m (292 ft 4+1⁄2 in).

[6] Shen's last major competition was the 1981 Asian Athletics Championships and he successfully defended his title against Japanese opposition in Tokyo.