This page lists the World Best Year Performance in the year 1996 in both the men's and the women's hammer throw. The main event during this season were the Olympic Games in Atlanta, United States, where the final was held on July 28, 1996.
| Rank | Mark | Athlete | Venue | Date | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 82.52 m | Milan, Italy | 07.09.1996 | NR | ||
| 2 | 81.76 m | Nice, France | 10.07.1996 | |||
| 3 | 81.76 m | Stayki, Belarus | 13.07.1996 | |||
| 4 | 81.56 m | Rostov, Russia | 16.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 5 | 80.90 m | Dortmund, Germany | 20.07.1996 | |||
| 6 | 80.68 m | Sankt Peterburg, Russia | 13.05.1996 | PB | ||
| 7 | 80.52 m | Budapest, Hungary | 20.06.1996 | |||
| 8 | 80.02 m | Atlanta, United States | 28.07.1996 | |||
| 9 | 79.56 m | Prague, Czech Republic | 08.09.1996 | PB | ||
| 10 | 79.52 m | Nice, France | 10.07.1996 | PB | ||
| 11 | 79.46 m | Sankt Peterburg, Russia | 03.07.1996 | |||
| 12 | 78.94 m | Grosseto, Italy | 12.09.1996 | |||
| 13 | 78.92 m | Köln, Germany | 22.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 14 | 78.82 m | Sankt Peterburg, Russia | 03.07.1996 | |||
| 15 | 78.72 m | Santa Cruz, United States | 18.05.1996 | |||
| 16 | 78.38 m | Rostov, Russia | 16.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 17 | 78.34 m | Évry-Bondoufle, France | 22.06.1996 | |||
| 18 | 78.18 m | Stayki, Belarus | 13.07.1996 | |||
| 19 | 78.06 m | Tampere, Finland | 20.08.1996 | |||
| 20 | 77.84 m | Athens, Greece | 15.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 21 | 77.50 m | Havana, Cuba | 23.06.1996 | |||
| 22 | 77.48 m | Zalaegerszeg, Hungary | 01.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 23 | 77.38 m | Sotteville-les-Rouen, France | 05.05.1996 | |||
| 24 | 77.36 m | Athens, Greece | 15.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 25 | 77.12 m | Sankt Peterburg, Russia | 03.07.1996 |
| Standing records prior to the 1996 season in track and field | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 68.16 m | June 18, 1995 | ||||
| Broken records during the 1996 season in track and field | |||||
| 69.46 m | June 22, 1996 | ||||
| Rank | Mark | Athlete | Venue | Date | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 69.46 m | Sydney, Australia | 17.02.1996 | |||
| 2 | 69.42 m | Cluj-Napoca, Romania | 12.05.1996 | PB | ||
| 3 | 67.48 m | Moscow, Russia | 13.05.1996 | PB | ||
| 4 | 66.14 m | Halle, Germany | 11.05.1996 | |||
| 5 | 65.02 m | Minsk, Belarus | 01.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 6 | 63.76 m | Eugene, United States | 01.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 7 | 62.86 m | Sydney, Australia | 11.02.1996 | |||
| 8 | 62.06 m | Montgeron, France | 30.06.1996 | NR | ||
| 9 | 61.86 m | Halle, Germany | 11.05.1996 | |||
| 10 | 61.84 m | Sochi, Russia | 10.02.1996 | PB | ||
| 11 | 61.34 m | Edinburgh, Scotland | 04.05.1996 | |||
| 12 | 61.24 m | Moscow, Russia | 11.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 13 | 61.16 m | Trier, Germany | 01.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 14 | 61.02 m | Sochi, Russia | 17.02.1996 | PB | ||
| 15 | 60.94 m | Eugene, United States | 01.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 16 | 60.66 m | Lincoln, United States | 20.05.1996 | PB | ||
| 17 | 60.64 m | Rostov, Russia | 16.06.1996 | |||
| 18 | 60.52 m | Los Angeles, United States | 04.05.1996 | PB | ||
| 19 | 60.04 m | Eugene, United States | 01.06.1996 | NR | ||
| 20 | 59.54 m | Colchester, United Kingdom | 26.08.1996 | PB | ||
| 21 | 59.44 m | Eugene, United States | 01.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 22 | 59.40 m | Dortmund, Germany | 20.07.1996 | PB | ||
| 23 | 59.16 m | Yekaterinburg, Russia | 01.06.1996 | PB | ||
| 24 | 59.14 m | Hagen-Dahl, Germany | 19.10.1996 | PB | ||
| 25 | 59.12 m | Osaka, Japan | 06.06.1996 |