Asian Games: Tajinderpal Singh misses hat-trick of golds, wins silver in shot put

Tajinderpal Singh Toor

NEW DELHI: Tajinderpal Singh Toor’s bid for a historic hat-trick of Asian Games gold medals ended with a silver on Saturday as the defending champion finished second in the men’s shot put at Aichi-Nagoya.Toor, who won gold at the 2018 Jakarta and 2022 Hangzhou Games, produced a best throw of 20.64m to claim his third successive Asian Games medal.

However, he could not complete a hat-trick of gold medals after Iran’s Mohammadreza Tayebise produced a Games-record throw of 20.81m to take the top prize.

Tayebise’s winning effort also erased Toor’s previous Games record of 20.75m, set when he won gold in Jakarta in 2018.Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Tolu completed the podium with a throw of 20.48m to win bronze.Asian Games Full Coverage | Medal Tally | Schedule

Toor adds another medal to Asian Games collection

Although Toor missed out on a third consecutive gold, the silver continued his remarkable consistency at the continental showpiece.

He had entered the competition as the two-time defending champion and one of India’s established athletics medal hopes.The 31-year-old’s 20.64m effort was not enough to match Tayebise, who raised the Games record by 6cm.Toor’s silver also added another medal to India’s growing haul in Aichi-Nagoya.

Two Indian sprinters reach 200m final

India also kept its medal hopes alive in the women’s sprint events. Harita Bhadra and Unnathi Bolland both qualified for Sunday’s 200m final.

Bhadra clocked 23.31 seconds to finish second in her heat and secure automatic qualification, while Bolland advanced after finishing third in her heat in 23.33 seconds.In the 100m hurdles, Nandhini Kongan reached the final after finishing fourth in her heat in 13.48 seconds. Her qualification came after compatriot Jyothi Yarraji, the Hangzhou silver medallist, did not start her heat.