‘Fit’ Tajinderpal Singh Toor set to compete in National Inter-State Athletics Championships: Reports
Asian Games gold medal-winning shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor is all set to compete at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Panchkula, Haryana, as confirmed by his coach Panvir.
According to reports in MyKhel, Tajinderpal took part in a practice session and looked set with his throws, giving confidence to his coach. Notably, he injured his ankle on June 3 and was initially supposed to miss the Athletics Meet in Panchkula.
"Tajnderpal Singh will participate in men's shot put. He arrived today in Panchkula. In Patiala, he practiced and attempted a few throws, which gave us confidence," Tajinderpal's coach Panvir told MyKhel.
"Yes, he suffered an injury on June 3 and decided not to compete, but he's fit and raring to go at the Inter-State Athletics," he added.
Currently, Tajinderpal Singh has a superior ranking in the road to Paris and it will mathematically allow him to be a part of the mega event in Paris.
Tajinderpal Singh Toor has a poor fitness track record
Unfortunately, Tajindepal Singh Toor has struggled with fitness in the past few years. Right after the end of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, he underwent surgery on the left wrist of his throwing arm.
Later, he suffered a groin injury while winning the gold medal at the Asian Championships in July 2023 in Bangkok. Subsequently, he pulled out of the Budapest World Championships with a groin injury.
Tajinderpal Singh previously held the Asian record with a throw of 21.77 meters. However, Saudi Arabia's Mohamed Daouda Tolo recently surpassed Singh's record, covering a distance of 21.80 meters on June 21 during the Estadio Vallehermoso event in Madrid.
Notably, National Inter-State Athletics is the final qualifying campaign for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024 for Indian track and field athletes. The four-day marquee competition started on June 27 and will end on June 30.
It’s worth noting that Sunday, June 30 will be the deadline for the Paris Olympics 2024 qualification for India’s track and field athletes. The Paris Olympics 2024 athletics competitions will start on August 2 and end on August 11. It would be interesting to see how many Indian athletes would make the cut for Paris 2024.