Asian Games 2026: Tajinderpal Singh Toor Takes Silver as Mohammadreza Tayebi Breaks Games Record

Tajinderpal Singh Toor’s reign as Asian Games men’s shot put champion came to an end on Saturday as the Indian thrower finished second behind Iran’s Mohammadreza Tayebi in the final.

Tayebi produced a decisive 20.81m throw to win gold and break the Asian Games record, while Tajinderpal settled for silver with a best effort of 20.64m. Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Tolu completed the podium with 20.48m, setting a season best in the process. For Tajinderpal, the silver marked a change from his position as the defending champion, but his fifth-round effort ensured that he finished the competition with a medal after being pushed out of second place earlier in the final.

India’s second representative, Karanveer Singh, finished 10th with a best throw of 18.40m.

The final featured 13 competitors, including two Indians. Tajinderpal entered the competition with a personal best of 21.77m and a season best of 21.03m. Karanveer had both his personal and season best at 20.49m. Iran’s Tayebi came in with a personal best and season best of 20.75m, while Saudi Arabia’s Tolu had a personal best of 21.80m and a season best of 19.61m.

The competition quickly developed into a three-way battle at the top. Tajinderpal produced 20.26m in his opening attempt, immediately putting himself into medal contention. But Tayebi responded with the biggest throw of the competition. His 20.81m effort not only moved him to the top of the standings but also broke Tajinderpal’s Games record.

The mark set an imposing target for the Indian. Tolu also remained in contention, adding further pressure on Tajinderpal as the competition progressed.

Karanveer Singh was unable to reproduce the 20-metre-plus form reflected in his entry credentials. His best throw of the competition was 18.40m, leaving him in 10th position after the opening three rounds. As a result, Karanveer did not advance to the final three rounds.

His 18.40m was well below his personal and season best of 20.49m and ultimately left him outside the battle for the medals. The focus for India therefore shifted entirely to Tajinderpal as the competition moved into its decisive stages.

Tajinderpal faced a significant challenge after Tayebi established the new Games record. The Indian had failed to cross the 20m mark in his next two attempts, leaving his position on the podium under pressure. After three rounds, the standings had Tayebi first with 20.81m, Tolu second with 20.48m and Tajinderpal third with 20.26m.

The Indian needed a major response to regain second place. He delivered it in the fifth round. Tajinderpal launched the shot to 20.64m, moving ahead of Tolu and reclaiming the silver-medal position. The throw was his best of the competition and came at a critical moment, ensuring that he would leave the Asian Games with a medal.

However, it was not enough to challenge Tayebi’s record-breaking effort.

Tayebi’s 20.81m remained the benchmark throughout the final. Despite Tajinderpal’s late improvement, the Iranian thrower retained the lead and secured the gold medal.

Tolu finished third with 20.48m, a season-best performance that kept him within striking distance of the Indian until Tajinderpal’s fifth-round throw. China’s Jialiang Xing finished fourth with 19.50m, followed by Iran’s Hassan Ajamibakhtiarvand with 19.37m. Qatar’s Djibrine Ahmat was sixth with 19.00m, while Malaysia’s Jonah Chang Rigan finished seventh at 18.89m.

Bahrain’s Abdelrahman Mahmoud was eighth with 18.70m, ahead of Kazakhstan’s Ivan Ivanov at 18.46m. Karanveer’s 18.40m left him 10th, while Chinese Taipei’s Hau-wei Ma and South Korea’s Sihoon Park finished 11th and 12th respectively. Cambodia’s Samedy Sim recorded a personal best of 15.53m but finished 13th.

The final result means Tajinderpal’s long reign as Asian Games champion has come to an end. He had entered the competition as one of India’s strongest medal hopes, carrying a personal best of 21.77m and a season best of 21.03m. While he could not defend his title, his 20.64m was enough to secure silver after a crucial late recovery.

Tayebi, meanwhile, produced the performance of the competition, surpassing Tajinderpal’s Games record with his 20.81m throw. The result also demonstrated the narrow margins at the top of the event. Just 0.17m separated gold and silver, while Tolu was only 0.16m behind Tajinderpal. For India, the men's shot put therefore ended with a silver medal rather than the expected title defence.

Tajinderpal's fifth-round response ensured the country remained on the podium, while Tayebi’s record-breaking effort established a new benchmark for the Asian Games. The final standings were clear: Mohammadreza Tayebi took gold with 20.81m, Tajinderpal Singh Toor claimed silver with 20.64m, and Mohammed Tolu secured bronze with 20.48m.