‘I Won’t Be At Peace Until I Throw 22m’: Tajinderpal Singh Toor’s Asian Games Silver Fuels New Target | Exclusive

Tajinderpal Singh Toor's bid to become a three-time consecutive Asian Games champion ended with a silver medal in the men's shot put at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, but the Indian national record holder walked away with a clear message, his pursuit of 22m is far from over.

The 31-year-old opened his competition with a 20.06m effort before improving to 20.64m on his fifth attempt, which eventually secured him the silver medal.

Iran's Mohammadreza Tayebi claimed the gold with a Games record throw of 20.81m, surpassing Toor's previous Asian Games record of 20.75m, which the Indian had produced while winning gold at Jakarta 2018.

Toor had successfully defended his title at the Hangzhou Asian Games, held in 2023 after being postponed from 2022, with a best throw of 20.36m.

Despite missing out on a third successive gold, Toor secured his third consecutive Asian Games medal, a remarkable achievement that adds to his gold-medal triumphs at Jakarta and Hangzhou.

Speaking exclusively to myKhel after the final, Toor revealed that he had arrived in Japan with the belief that he could produce a throw beyond 21m.

"I already felt that I would perform well. I finished third at the Inter-State Athletics Championships, but the Federation showed faith in me and backed me. I came here thinking about a 21m throw, and I was trying to make a comeback in the middle of the competition. But because of the rain, my foot slipped a little, and I couldn't produce the kind of throw I was hoping for," Toor told myKhel.

Toor had held the Asian Games record for eight years after his 20.75m effort in Jakarta. However, Tayebi's 20.81m throw moved the mark beyond the Indian's previous record.

Toor admitted that he continued to believe he could close the gap and regain the record until the competition was over.

"I thought I would be able to cover the gap until the very end and reclaim my Asian Games record. But I felt that I couldn't hear the national anthem this time," he said.

The silver medal came after a season in which Toor had already shown glimpses of his best form.

He began 2026 with a silver medal at the Asian Indoor Championships, throwing 20.05m. He then produced one of the highlights of his season at the Indian Athletics Series - 3 in New Delhi, where he sent the shot to 21.03m, his first 21m-plus effort since 2023.

He followed that with a 20.72m throw in Ludhiana, but injuries subsequently disrupted his preparations.

"Yes, my season had been going well. I threw 21.03m in Delhi and then 20.72m in Ludhiana. But before the Inter-State Athletics Championships, I had some trouble with my groin, because of which my performance there was also not good. Then, before leaving for the Commonwealth Games, I suffered a Grade 1 tear, and I couldn't perform well in that competition either," Toor explained.

Toor finished fifth at the Commonwealth Games with a best throw of 20.27m. However, his bigger challenge was rebuilding his physical condition after the injury.

"I had to compromise on a lot of things. For the last two to three months, I haven't done any ground work at all. I have completely stopped running and jumping, and for an athlete, ground fitness is very important. I didn't even throw for three to four weeks," he said.

Despite those setbacks, Toor managed to regain some momentum before the Asian Games.

"Then I improved myself at the Indian Athletics Series Final, and I came to the Asian Games believing that I would throw beyond 21m. But today, the weather conditions were such that it just wasn't possible," he added.

The conditions in Aichi-Nagoya proved to be another hurdle for Toor, who felt the rain affected his ability to execute his throws as he had planned.

For Toor, however, the silver medal is not the end of the story.

The Indian continues to chase a number that has eluded him throughout his career, 22m.

His national record stands at 21.77m, set in Bhubaneswar in June 2023. With that mark, Toor remains within touching distance of the 22m barrier, but he insists that he will continue competing until he achieves it.

"I will continue as long as I haven't thrown 22m. I will keep performing well in the upcoming competitions. My target is 22m. I have been working towards it for the last six years, and I won't be at peace until I break the national record with a 22m throw," Toor told myKhel.

The Asian Games gold medal may have slipped away this time, and his Games record may now belong to Tayebi, but Toor leaves Aichi-Nagoya with another medal and, more importantly, another target to chase.

At 31, the Indian shot-putter is already a three-time Asian Games medallist. Yet his ambitions remain firmly fixed on a number that has defined his pursuit for the last six years 22 metres.