Tajinderpal Toor denied third straight Asian Games shot put gold, takes silver
Tajinderpal Singh Toor failed to win a third successive Asian Games men's shot put gold in Aichi-Nagoya on Saturday, settling for the silver medal.
Iran's Mohammadreza Tayebise claimed the title with a Games record throw of 20.81m, while Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Tolu took bronze with 20.48m; Toor finished second. Tayebise's 20.81m erased Toor's Asian Games record of 20.75m set in Jakarta in 2018, ending Toor's run of two successive Asian Games golds but extending his podium streak to three editions.
The final unfolded with Tayebise taking the lead early with 20.81m and Toor initially posting 20.26m, which left him third behind the Iranian and Tolu. Toor responded on his fifth attempt with a season-best 20.64m to move past Tolu into second place but could not close the 17cm gap to Tayebise.
Wet conditions on the day made grip and balance difficult inside the circle, a factor competing athletes faced. Toor revealed he had been managing minor injuries for three months and said: "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.
Toor expressed disappointment at missing his target of three straight golds and a 21m throw: "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. He also noted the support he received from the Athletics Federation of India: "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, adding: "No one can motivate you. You have to motivate yourself and pick yourself up."
Toor's personal best stands at 21.77m, set in 2023, and his career includes golds at the Asian Championships in 2019 and 2023 and the Asian Indoor Championships title in 2024. He also won silver at the 2026 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships, has represented India at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and has been part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme since November 2018 with government support for international competitions and training.
For the first time since 2018, Toor did not finish on top of the Asian Games podium; he nonetheless leaves Aichi-Nagoya as a three-time Asian Games medallist with two golds and one silver.
