Qualifikationsweite: 16,70 m
| 1 | Christo Markov | BUL | 17,07 | Q | |
| 2 | Maris Brushiks | URS | 16,93 | Q | |
| 3 | Oleg Prozenko | URS | 16,75 | Q | |
| 4 | Mike Conley | USA | 16,62 | q | |
| 5 | Jan Cado | TCH | 16,58 | q | |
| 6 | Joseph Taiwo | NGR | 16,55 | q | |
| 7 | Norifumi Yamashita | JPN | 16,47 | q | |
| 8 | Frank Rutherford | BAH | 16,40 | q | |
| 9 | Didier Falise | BEL | 16,39 | q | |
| 10 | Al Joyner | USA | 16,36 | q | |
| 11 | Stephen Hanna | BAH | 16,25 | q | |
| 12 | Djordje Kozul | YUG | 16,13 | q | |
| 13 | Arne Holm | SWE | 16,07 | ||
| 14 | Peter Beames | AUS | 16,05 | ||
| 15 | Marios Hadjiandreou | GRE | 15,72 | ||
| 16 | Serge Hélan | FRA | 15,69 | ||
| 17 | José Quinalisa | ECU | 14,77 | NR | |
| 18 | Edward Manderson | CAY | 14,39 | ||
| 19 | Mauricio Carrenza | ELS | 13,74 | NR | |
| Ahmed Hassan Badra | EGY | NM | |||
| Jesus Oliván | ESP | DNS | |||
| Ajayi Agbebaku | NGR | DNS | |||
| Paul Emordi | NGR | DNS |