Bengaluru, September 4: A little over a week ago, Tejinderpal Singh Toor opened India's athletics medal count at the just concluded edition of the Asian Games in Indonesia. After putting on a record-breaking performance to clinch gold in shot put, the Punjab athlete dedicated the medal to his ailing father. Eager to hand over the medal to his father, Toor was on his way home when he got the heartbreaking news. After landing in Delhi from Jakarta, Toor had left for his hometown Moga (Punjab), and before he could reach his destination, he got the news of his father's demise.

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The Asian Games gold-medallists father, who had been battling cancer for almost two years, passed away on Monday. Toor's gold medal shot put medal was India's first in athletics, and the athelete was eager to return home and hand over the medal to his father to fulfil his wish of holding a medal won by his son for the country. It was heart-breaking as Toor's father Karam Singh passed away right before his son could reach home.

AFI is in deep shock.We received Tejinder Toor,our Asian Shot Put Champion Gold Medalist at the airport last night & as he was on his way to hotel, sad news of his father's demise reached us. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Our heartfelt condolences to Tajinder & his family. pic.twitter.com/ZmtAvrhh3r

— Athletics Federation of India (@afiindia) September 4, 2018

After he had won the medal, Toor had said, "A lot of sacrifices have been made by my family and friends and all those have paid off today (August 25). Now I will meet my dad but I will be there for only two days." Unfortunately he failed to make it on time.

The Punjab lad had smashed the Games record and the National record in his fifth attempt with a throw of 20.75.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) took to Twitter to express their condolences to Toor and his family members. The AFI said, "AFI is in deep shock. We received Tejinder Toor, our Asian Shot Put Champion Gold Medallist at the airport last night & he was on his way to hotel, sad news of his father's demise reached us. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Our heartfelt condolences to Tajinder & his family."

Asia's highest ranked shotputter, 23-year-old Toor won India's eight gold medal in men's shot put in the history of the Asian Games. Earlier in the year, Toor had finished eight in the 2018 Commonwealth Games held in Australia.