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The 31-year-old threw 20.64 metres, finishing behind Iran’s Mohammadreza Tayebise, who took gold with 20.81 metres and broke Toor’s previous Games record. He dedicated it to his 10-month-old daughter, calling her the lucky charm who changed his family’s story after two difficult losses. My wife lost two babies during her pregnancy, in 2022 and in 2024. Toor’s best throw of 20.64 metres was solid, yet it was not enough to defend the title he had won in Jakarta in 2018 and again in Hangzhou. In 2018 he set a Games record of 20.75 metres. That mark was bettered on Saturday by the Iranian athlete’s 20.81-metre effort. This year he has crossed 20 metres nine times and recorded one throw beyond 21 metres. His personal best remains 21.77 metres from 2023.
Holding the Tricolour and folding his hands in prayer once the final positions were confirmed, Toor made clear that the medal belonged to the little girl who had become his source of strength. An MRI confirmed the damage after the event. “Prior to CWG, I suffered a calf strain, and post the CWG, the MRI revealed that it was a Grade-One tear.
Rabab has been the lucky mascot for me,” he told The Indian Express from Nagoya. Winning a third Asian Games medal is a special feeling,” said Toor, who hails from Khosa Pando village in Moga district. “My career and injuries go together,” he said.
Tajinderpal Singh Toor came close to a third straight Asian Games gold in the men’s shot put but settled for silver in Nagoya. For the Indian champion, the medal carried a deeper meaning. Toor spoke about the personal weight behind the silver. “This medal is for my daughter Rabab Kaur Toor. Rabab was born last November. Her arrival brought joy after the pain of two miscarriages that had left the couple’s dream of becoming parents shattered. When it became clear he would finish second, Toor responded with quiet dignity. He posed for photographs with the national flag and acknowledged the result. The day was bittersweet, but it still placed him on the podium for a third consecutive Asian Games . Questions about his form had begun to surface. “People had started talking after my performance at the Inter-State. This medal is an answer to all those who questioned my ability. Karamveer, the other Indian in the final, placed tenth. On the biggest stage of the season, Toor delivered when it counted. Injuries have followed Toor throughout his career. I manage by adjusting technique. My coach MS Dhillon tells me never to stop,” he explained. The list is longer. He still believes more is possible. “I know I have a 22m throw in me. For an athlete who has repeatedly returned from setbacks, the silver in Nagoya felt like another hard-earned step forward and one he was glad to share with his daughter. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test Get the latest Lifestyle News and more. Download the TOI app.
Earlier this year Toor had finished only third at the Inter-State National Championships in Bhubaneswar, behind Karamveer Singh and Samardeep Gill. Before the Commonwealth Games he suffered a Grade-One calf tear. A groin injury before the Tokyo Olympics, pain when he set the Asian Games record, a calf muscle tear at the Asian Championships in Bangkok, a knee problem before Hangzhou, and an ankle injury six months before Paris.