Indian Grand Prix: Hima, Toor among top draws, Nayana vs Shalii rivalry expected

Tajinderpal will hope to breach the Paris Olympics qualification standard of 21.50m. This is not beyond the reach of the Services athlete, whose personal best stands at 21.77m.

FILE- Tajinderpal Singh Toor of Punjab during the men’s shot put event in the 62nd National Inter State Athletics Championship at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Sunday, June 18, 2023. | Photo Credit: The Hindu/RITU RAJ KONWAR

Shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor will strive to make a mark in the Indian Grand Prix track and field competition at Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Tuesday.

Tajinderpal will hope to breach the Paris Olympics qualification standard of 21.50m. This is not beyond the reach of the Services athlete, whose personal best stands at 21.77m.

The tournament also marks the return of sprinter Hima Das, who was provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for three whereabouts failures last year.

Hima and 2016 Rio Olympian Srabani Nanda are among the eight competitors in the women’s 200m event.

Eldhose Paul, who recorded a wind-assisted 17.03m jump to win the men’s triple jump gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, is also in action. The Olympic qualification mark, set at 17.22m, might be a bridge too far.

2023 Asian Athletics Championships silver medallist Shaili Singh and Kerala’s Nayana James fight for the women’s long jump crown. In the third edition of the Indian Open Jumps competition held here recently, Nayana edged out Shaili to grab gold.