Shot putter Tajinderpal defends Asian title; Parul also wins gold

BANGKOK: India shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor stamped his authority in the continental circuit by defending his Asian Athletics Championships title and limped out of the competition after his gold-winning second-round throw here on Friday.

The Asian record holder Tajinderpal sent the iron ball to a distance of 20.23m in his second-round throw and did not take further part because of a groin issue. Parul Chaudhary then won her maiden 3000m steeplechase title in a major international event to swell India’s gold tally in the championships to five.

Young long jumper Shaili Singh also impressed as she clinched her maiden medal – silver – in her first major international event. India has so far won nine medals – five gold, one silver and three bronze.

Tajinderpal, the outright favourite to win the shot put gold medal, began with a 19.80m effort before his gold-winning 20.23m throw. The 28-year-old Tajinderpal became only the third shot putter to defend the Asian Championships title.

Saberi Mehdi (19.98m) of Iran and Ivan Ivanov (19.87m) from Kazakhstan took home silver and bronze respectively.

The extent of Tajinderpal’s injury is not yet known. “I was feeling pain, so I discontinued,” Tajinderpal, who took part with a bandaged left wrist, told PTI. He, however, said that there is nothing to worry about and that he would be fully fit in 10 days.

In women’s 3000m steeplechase, Parul won comfortably with a timing of 9 minutes, 38.76 seconds. Her timing was well outside her personal best of 9:29.51, which she had clocked in the United States in May. Shuangshuang Xu (9:44.54) of China and Yoshimura Reimi (9:48.48) from Japan bagged silver and bronze respectively.

Parul, understandably, was delighted with the top podium finish. “My target was to win gold and I was preparing accordingly. The timing was not the best, but I am happy.”

In women’s long jump, the 19-year-old Shaili was ahead of the pack midway, thanks to her first-round effort of 6.54m. But eventual gold winner Sumire Hata of Japan took the lead with her fourth-round jump of 6.74m, which she later improved to 6.97m in her sixth and final leap. China’s Zhong Jiawei secured the bronze medal with a jump of 6.46m.