After food poisoning scare, Toor targets elusive 22m mark following CWG qualification

New Delhi: A bout of food poisoning threatened to derail Tajinderpal Singh Toor's bid to qualify for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, but the seasoned shot putter refused to let the setback define his season.

Weeks after a disappointing outing in Ranchi, where illness robbed him of the chance to compete at his best, the 31-year-old bounced back by clearing the Commonwealth Games 2026 qualification standard with a 20. 72m throw at the Indian Athletics Series-9 in Ludhiana.

For Toor, India's most accomplished shot putter, the throw was more than just another qualification mark. It marked a return to rhythm after two injury-plagued years and reinforced his belief that the long-awaited 22-metre barrier is finally within reach.


A two-time Asian Games champion and a two-time Olympian, Toor has dominated Indian shot put for nearly a decade.

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The national record holder with a personal best of 21. 77m also owns the Asian Games record and had briefly held the Asian record before it was surpassed. Yet, despite a glittering resume, the Punjab thrower believes his best may still be ahead.

"Before Ranchi, I was throwing well in training. But when I reached Ranchi, I suffered food poisoning after eating chicken from the hotel. I was vomiting, had low energy, and my whole body was affected. Because of that, I couldn't throw my best there," Toor told PTI.

The setback was particularly frustrating because he had already achieved the qualifying distance multiple times in training.

"I requested the officials for another opportunity because I knew I was throwing well. I had already crossed the qualification mark two or three times in training, throwing around 20. 51m and 21. 05m. Eventually, I qualified in Ludhiana," he said.

The Ludhiana meet itself threw up another challenge as the floodlights went off during the competition, but Toor said the conditions were manageable for shot put athletes.

"Our event doesn't cover that much distance, so we didn't face too many problems. It would have been much more difficult in events like discus or javelin, where the implement travels much farther," he said.

However, there were already signs that Toor was returning to his best. Earlier this season, the national record holder registered a season-best effort of 21. 03m at the Indian Athletics Series-3, his first 21m-plus throw after battling injuries over the last two years.

The reigning Asian Games champion was slowly rediscovering his rhythm, a relief after recently being pushed to second place at the National Federation Senior Athletics Championships by the emerging Samardeep Singh Gill.

Fellow Punjab thrower Karanveer Singh has also established himself as a consistent 20m-plus athlete, underlining the growing depth in Indian men's shot put.

Having now secured the Commonwealth Games qualification standard, Toor has shifted his focus to breaching the elusive 22-metre barrier while also reclaiming the Asian record.

The continental mark of 21. 80m, currently held by Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Tolo, is firmly in his sights. With the world record standing at 23. 56m and his own personal best at 21. 77m, Toor believes this could finally be the season when he reaches another level.

"I feel that if this year goes well, I can achieve my personal best and cross 22 metres. The previous couple of years were affected by injuries, so I believe this is the year I can break that barrier," he said.

The confidence stems from encouraging training numbers and a body that finally feels capable of withstanding the demands of elite competition.

"My jumping, weight training, throwing sessions, everything is going well. If I stay injury-free, then with God's grace, I believe this year I can achieve it," he said.

Toor also revealed that shedding nearly 15 kilograms has transformed both his movement and durability.

"I have reduced my body weight by around 15 kilograms. That has helped me a lot. The small injuries I used to get have reduced, and I've been able to train consistently," he said.

Despite being among India's leading medal hopes for next year's Commonwealth Games, Toor is keeping his expectations simple and refusing to burden himself with medal calculations.

"My first target is simply to throw beyond 21 metres. I don't want to put unnecessary pressure on myself. If possible, I'd like to challenge the national record," he said.

Far from feeling threatened by the emergence of younger throwers, Toor said he wants to leave behind a stronger legacy by raising the benchmark in Indian shot put.

He believes the rise of athletes such as Samardeep Singh Gill and Karanveer Singh is a healthy sign for the event, much like Neeraj Chopra's success has inspired a new generation of Indian javelin throwers.

"My target is to open the 22-metre barrier for the younger generation. Even if they don't immediately reach 22, they'll consistently throw beyond 21. Athletes like Samardeep and Karanveer are already throwing over 20 metres. Karanveer recently threw 20. 50m in training.

"If our event keeps progressing like this, it will be great for Indian athletics. Just like Neeraj has opened the 90-metre barrier in javelin, now you see so many Indians consistently throwing beyond 80 metres," he said.

Even after conquering almost every major title in Asia, one ambition continues to drive him.

"I still have the desire to break the Asian record again. Hopefully, with God's grace, it will happen this time," Toor signed off.