Two-time Asian Games gold medallist Tajinderpal Singh Toor overcame a sore back to achieve his season-best performance and win the men’s shot put crown in the National Federation athletics meet at the Kalinga Stadium here on Tuesday.
Toor fought a war within even as he comfortably claimed the gold medal with an effort of 20.38m in his second attempt.
For 29-year-old Toor, who had achieved the Asian record of 21.77m in the National interstate meet at the same venue last year, his mark of 20.38m was some way off from the Olympic qualifying mark of 21.50m, but it made him happy as he got his season best despite physical issues and health concerns of his wife.
The ace thrower began with 20.14m, fouled the next and improved his performance further to 20.38m to get his season best and raise hopes of Paris qualification.
However, things didn’t go as per expectations in the stands as he recorded three consecutive foul throws to end his campaign.
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“Today’s performance was good as I did my season best despite a back problem and my wife not well,” said Toor, hoping to improve his performance ahead of the Olympics.
Asian Indoor silver medallist Jeswin Aldrin, the long jumper who held the world lead last year with a National record of 8.42m, also fought hard to breach the Olympic qualifying mark of 8.27m but in vain.
The Tamil Nadu athlete, who had a season-best of 7.83m indoors, managed to leap 7.99m to win gold.
Aldrin began with a promising 7.93m with an air of optimism in the stands and showed consistency to bring up 7.85m and 7.87m in the next two. But he did not look pleased as he fouled the next one.
After registering another foul jump, Aldrin pushed himself further to record his best effort in the sixth and final jump.
Arya S. registered 7.83m to take second place behind Aldrin, while Muhammed Anees Yahiya finished a close third with 7.81m.
Damneet Singh’s opening attempt of 66.28m was good enough to earn him the men’s hammer throw title with a narrow 0.04m margin win over Ashish Jakhar.
Jakhar, who began with 62.67m, increased his efforts to score 66.24m in his last attempt.
National record holder Rosy Meena Paulraj’s 4.05m was enough to bring her the yellow metal in the women’s pole vault.
The results (finals):
Men: 3000m steeplechase: 1. Sumit Kumar (MP) 8:39.67, 2. Dhuladev Baban Ghagar (Mah) 8:46.65, 3. Ankit Rajesh (Har) 8:46.97; Long jump: 1. Jeswin Aldrin (TN) 7.99m, 2. Arya S. (Kar) 7.83m, 3. Muhammed Anees Yahiya (Ker) 7.81m; Shot put: 1. Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Pun) 20.38, 2. Samardeep Singh Gill (MP) 18.93m, 3. Aryan Tyagi (UP) 18.07m; Hammer: 1. Damneet Singh (Pun) 66.28m, 2. Ashish Jakhar (Har) 66.24m, 3. Devang (Del) 64.75m.
Women: 3000m steeplechase: 1. Chhavi Yadav (MP) 10:07.57, 2. Komal Chandrakant (Mah) 10:18.69, 3. Manju Ajay Yadav (MP) 10:19.21; Pole vault: 1. Rosy Meena Paulraj (TN) 4.05m, 2. Baranica Elangovan (TN) 4.00m, 3. Mariya Jaison (Ker) 3.90m; Discus: 1. Nidhi Rani (Har) 52.55m, 2. Shalini Chaudhary (MP) 51.50m, 3. Sunita (Har) 51.10m
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