Hangzhou, China, October 1, 2023: They breed them strong and with nerves of steel in the fields of Punjab. India’s Tajinderpal Singh Toor reminded the world of that as he won a dramatic Asian Games gold medal in the men’s shot put in Hangzhou on Sunday.
The burly Toor won the coveted prize on his last throw in a sensational come-from-behind victory at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Trailing Saudi Arabia’s Mohamed Daouda Tolo, who had registered 20.18 metres on his fourth attempt, Toor threw the iron ball 20.36 on his sixth and final attempt to secure his second Asian Games gold medal following his victory five years ago at the 2018 Jakarta Games.
Tolo won silver while China’s Liu Yang took the bronze with 19.97.
“I remained confident. I knew all it would take was one good throw to win it. I’m happy to be able to defend my gold medal, even though I don’t consider this a good throw,” Toor said.
Born and raised in a family of farmers in Punjab, the 28-year-old Toor continues to rake in the accolades in a brilliant career; an Olympian, he is now a two-time Asian Games gold medallist, a two-time Asian champion, a four-time national champion and the current Asian record holder, 21.77, which he achieved at the National Championships in Bhubaneswar in June.
On Sunday, he was not quite able to match that effort and was under pressure as he tried too much and fouled his first two attempts. He got on the scoreboard on his third throw, but it was only in his fifth attempt, 20.06, that he got into medal contention.
A mighty heave on his final throw saw Toor take the lead. His Saudi opponent had one throw left, but couldn’t overhaul the mighty Sikh, who raised both hands to the heavens in celebration.
India has now won the men’s shot put gold medal a record 10 times from 19 Asian Games with Toor becoming the fourth Indian to defend their gold medals. The others were Pardiman Singh Brar in 1954 and 1958, Joginder Singh in 1966 and 1970 and Bahadur Singh Chouhan in 1978 and 1982.
Toor had struggled with injury in the lead-up to Hangzhou, first undergoing an operation on his left wrist of his throwing arm just after the Tokyo Olympics and more recently grappling with a groin injury.
“My wife asked me to bring gold, only gold,” he grinned.
*India also struck gold in the men’s 3000m steeplechase with Avinash Mukund Sable becoming the first Indian to win an Asian Games gold medal in this event.
Sable set a Games record of eight minutes 19.50 seconds to take the prize. Japanese duo Ryoma Aoki and Seiya Sunada won silver (8:23.75) and bronze (8:26.47), respectively.
“I took the lead from the start and, once I knew I had a lead, I wanted to go for my personal best (8:11.20) but in the last leg, I felt it would be wise to just secure the gold medal for my country and not risk it. I wanted to give back to my country as they have invested a lot in me,” said Sable, a junior commissioned officer in the Indian Army.