Asian Games: Tajinder misses historic hat-trick, finishes with shot put silver

Tajinderpal Singh Toor's bid for a historic hat-trick of Asian Games gold medals ended with a silver as the Indian shot putter battled wet conditions in the men's final on Saturday.

In Short

• Tajinderpal Singh Toor finished with silver in the men's shot put final
• Tajinderpal has won two gold medals and one silver medal at the Asian Games
• Toor won gold in Jakarta in 2018 and defended his title at the Hangzhou Games

Tajinderpal Singh Toor's bid for a historic hat-trick of Asian Games gold medals came to an end on Saturday, but the Indian shot putter ensured he extended his remarkable podium streak at the continental showpiece.

Toor finished with silver in the men's shot put final after producing a season-best throw of 20.64m in tricky wet conditions. Iran's Mohammadreza Tayebise won gold with a Games record of 20.81m, while Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Tolu took bronze with an effort of 20.48m.

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Tayebise's winning throw also erased Toor's Asian Games record of 20.75m, which the Indian had set while winning his first gold medal at Jakarta 2018.

The competition did not go according to plan for Toor early on. Tayebise took control with his 20.81m effort, while Toor's 20.26m initially left him in third place behind the Iranian and Tolu.

Toor needed a response and found one in his fifth attempt. The 31-year-old sent the shot to 20.64m, his best effort of the competition and his season-best mark, to move past Tolu and into second place.

However, he could not find the extra distance needed to overhaul Tayebise and eventually finished 17cm behind the Iranian.

The result ended Toor's run of two successive Asian Games gold medals but extended his podium streak to three editions. He won gold in Jakarta in 2018 with a 20.75m throw and defended his title at the Hangzhou Games, held in 2023, with an effort of 20.36m.

Toor had arrived in Aichi-Nagoya with an opportunity to become the first Indian track and field athlete to win three successive individual Asian Games gold medals. Tayebise's record-breaking throw ended that possibility, but Toor still walked away as a three-time Asian Games medallist with two golds and a silver.

TOOR DISAPPOINTED AFTER MISSING 21M MARK

Toor admitted he had entered the competition confident of producing his best and breaching the 21m mark, leaving him disappointed despite finishing on the podium.

"I was aiming for hat-trick of gold medals. My body was feeling good, I was going strong. I was confident that I can throw my best till the sixth attempt and achieve 21m. So I am a bit disappointed and not satisfied with my performance," the Punjab athlete told reporters.

Toor said the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) had backed him to win gold, but he was nevertheless pleased to return with a medal for the country.

"AFI put confidence in me and told me to give my best and that I had the capacity to win gold. I could not do it but I won a silver for India and a medal is medal," said Toor, whose personal best stands at 21.77m.

Toor also revealed that he had been dealing with minor injury concerns for three months leading into the Asian Games. The rain on Saturday added another complication, making it difficult for the throwers to maintain their grip and balance inside the circle.

"For the last three months, I had been facing issues with minor injuries. With rain it was also difficult to have proper grip and there is fear of slipping while making the turn," he said.

Asked where he finds the motivation to keep going, Toor said the biggest push had to come from within.

"No one can motivate you. You have to motivate yourself and pick yourself up," he said.

FROM CRICKET TO INDIA'S SHOT PUT RECORD-HOLDER

Toor's journey to becoming one of India's leading shot putters began in Khosa Pando village in Punjab's Moga district. Raised in a farming family, he initially played cricket before taking up shot put at his father's encouragement.

The switch changed the course of his sporting career. Toor went on to win gold at the Asian Championships in 2019 and 2023 before adding the Asian Indoor Championships title in 2024. He also won silver at the 2026 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships.

His biggest throw came in 2023, when he produced 21.77m to set the Indian national record. The mark also stood as the Asian record at the time.

A two-time Olympian, Toor represented India at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He has also been part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme since November 2018, with government assistance supporting his participation in international competitions and overseas training camps.

For the first time since 2018, Toor did not finish on top of the Asian Games podium. But his consistency at the continental stage remained intact, with his Asian Games record now standing at two gold medals and one silver.

- Ends