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India beams with pride as Tajinderpal Singh Toor, the formidable shot putter, seized gold medal in the men's shot put event during the ongoing Asian Games held in Hangzhou. This victory marks India's second gold in track and field during these Games, further emphasizing the nation's prowess in athletics.
Demonstrating his calibre and dedication, Toor becomes the fourth Indian shot put athlete to defend his Asian Games title, joining the distinguished ranks alongside legends like Parduman Singh Brar, Joginder Singh, and Bahadur Singh Chouhan. His journey to this monumental achievement, however, wasn't without its challenges.
Toor's first promising throw, reaching around the 20m mark, was unfortunately ruled as a no throw. A similar fate awaited his second attempt. Undeterred, Toor registered his first official throw during his third attempt, achieving a commendable 19.51m. At this juncture, the competition intensified as Saudi Arabia's Mohamed Daouda Tolo surged ahead with a throw of 19.93m.
With unwavering determination, Toor responded with a colossal 20.06m throw in his fourth attempt, momentarily claiming the gold position. Yet, the dynamic contest saw Tolo snatch the lead back with a 20.18m throw. The nail-biting finale came in Toor's sixth attempt, where he unleashed a massive 20.36m throw. Tolo, despite his best efforts, couldn't surpass this mark, securing Toor's gold and relegating himself to silver.
Toor, a 28-year-old athlete hailing from Punjab, was a hot favorite to defend the gold he had previously bagged in 2018. His accolades include holding the unique distinction of being the sole Indian Asian record holder in individual events. However, a looming shadow over Toor's illustrious career has been his susceptibility to injuries in recent years.
Evidently, earlier this year, Toor set a new benchmark by breaking his own Asian record with an impressive 21.77m throw at the National Inter-State Championships. However, adversity struck soon after, as he endured a groin injury during his gold-winning performance at the Asian Championships in Bangkok. This injury subsequently compelled him to withdraw from the World Championships. Further complicating matters, Toor had previously undergone surgery on his throwing arm's left wrist post the Tokyo Olympics. Reflecting on these setbacks, Toor mentioned, “I was preparing to do my best in the World Championships, but this groin injury happened. I was disappointed, but you cannot do anything about injury.”
Shot put has witnessed Indian athletes' dominance over the years, and Toor's latest gold is a testament to this rich legacy. His victory at the Hangzhou Asian Games solidifies India's standing as the most successful shot put nation in the history of the Asian Games.
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