Paris, August 3 (Udaipur Kiran): India’s challenge in the men’s shot put event at the ongoing Paris Olympics ended after Tajinderpal Singh Toor was eliminated in the qualification round.
The two-time Asian Games gold medalist, who boasts a personal best of 21.77 meters in the shot put, seemed out of his game. Often considered a frontrunner in shot put, Toor slipped to 15th place in Group A, managing a best throw of 18.05 meters in three attempts. To qualify for the finals, Toor needed to be among the top 12. However, after an 18.05-meter effort, followed by two foul throws, Tajinder’s Paris Olympic journey came to an abrupt end. After his first throw, Toor was in 14th place. His second attempt was a foul.
In his third and final attempt, he needed to surpass the 20.09-meter throw of Portugal’s Tsanko Arnaudov to clear the qualification mark. But his third throw was again ruled a foul, ending his campaign at the Paris Olympics.
Italy’s shot putter Leonardo Fabbri topped Group A with a throw of 21.76 meters. Czech Olympic athlete Tomas Stanek was second with a distance of 21.61 meters.
Born and raised in Khosha Pando village in Punjab, Toor has several achievements to his name. In the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships, Toor won a silver medal. In the 2018 Asian Games, he returned to India with a gold medal.
In the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships, 2023 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships, 2023 Asian Athletics Championships, and the 2023 Asian Games, Toor stood at the top of the podium with a gold medal around his neck.
During his career, with a throw of 21.49 meters, he broke the 12-year-old Asian record of 21.13 meters. The record he broke was set by Saudi Arabia’s Sultan Abdulmajid Al-Hebshi. Toor held this record until June 2024. Eventually, Saudi Arabian shot putter Mohammed Daoud Alolo surpassed his effort in an athletics meet in Madrid.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.