Tajinderpal qualifies for Tokyo Olympics, improves own National Record with 21.49m throw

Indian shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor has bagged his berth for Tokyo Olympics after shattering his own national record, twice here at the Indian Grand Prix IV, on Monday.

Tajinderpal crossed the Olympic Qualification mark with a throw of 21.49m and also broke his own National Record; the Olympic Qualification mark is set at 21.10m. He broke his national record of 20.92m — twice — after throwing another throw of 21.28m. With the herculean effort of 21.49m, 26-year-old didn’t only improve on his own national record but he also managed to breach the Asian record.

“RECORDS RAINING at #IGP 4 Patiala Shot Putter @Tajinder_Singh3 crosses Olympic Qualification mark with a throw of 21.49m and breaks his own National Record. OQ- 21.10 He did it twice with another throw of 21.28m @KirenRijiju @kaypeem,” the Athletics Federation of India tweeted.

Sports Authority of India also came forward to congratulate the 2018 Asian Game gold medalist on this brilliant feat.

“Toor qualifies for Olympics! @Tajinder_Singh3 qualifies for #Tokyo2020 with an effort of 21.49m in men’s shot put at the Indian Grand Prix 4. He broke his own national record of 20.92m and breached the qualification mark of 21.10m. Many congratulations! #Cheer4India,” SAI Media tweeted.

Earlier Tokyo 2020 bound discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur also broked the national record — for the second time in the last four months — at the Indian Grand Prix IV. Kamalpreet Kaur hurled the discus 66.59m, comfortably shattering her own previous national record of 65.06m set in March 2021 on the final day of the Federation Cup. Notably, she is still the first Indian woman to breach the elusive 65m mark and now she has done it twice in the gap of four months.