Tajinderpal Singh Toor's Title Defence Ends in Silver as Tayebi Sets Games Record

Tajinderpal Singh Toor's bid for a third straight Asian Games shot put gold ended in silver, as Iran's Mohammadreza Tayebi broke the Games record with a decisive final-round throw at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.

Toor opened with 20.06m and improved to 20.26m in his second attempt, but struggled to find rhythm through the middle rounds before responding with a season-best 20.64m in his fifth attempt. It wasn't enough, with Tayebi's 20.81m bettering Toor's own previous Games record of 20.75m, set when he won gold at Jakarta 2018. Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Tolu completed the podium with 20.48m.

The silver extends Toor's run of winning a medal at every Asian Games he has competed in, following gold at both Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2023. It caps a mixed year for the 31-year-old, who was originally set to be India's male flag-bearer at the opening ceremony before a kit issue forced a late change to kabaddi's Pawan Sehrawat.