Birmingham: India’s long-standing wait for a maiden medal in men’s shot put at the Commonwealth Games 2026 continued on Thursday as Tajinderpal Singh Toor and Samardeep Singh Gill finished outside the podium positions in the final. In a separate setback, national record holder Animesh Kujur failed to qualify for the men’s 200m final, rounding off a disappointing day for Indian athletics in these events.

Despite fielding two finalists and entering the competition with strong expectations, India could not break its medal jinx in the discipline. Toor, the Asian Games champion and one of the country’s brightest medal hopes, finished fifth, while Samardeep ended seventh in a competitive field.

Strong start fades in high-quality final

The final witnessed high-quality performances from the very first round. Defending champion Tom Walsh set the tone early with a powerful opening throw of 21.03m, immediately emerging as the favourite to retain his title.

Toor made a promising start, registering 20.06m in his opening attempt to briefly move into third place. Samardeep, too, began steadily with a throw of 19.56m, placing him within the top five after the first round.

However, the competition intensified quickly as England’s Scott Lincoln and Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi delivered strong throws to push the Indians down the standings. Lincoln recorded 20.70m, while Enekwechi opened with 19.60m before improving significantly in later rounds.

Enekwechi seals gold with decisive throw

The turning point came in the fifth round when Enekwechi produced a massive throw of 21.07m, overtaking Walsh to clinch the gold medal. Walsh’s opening effort of 21.03m ultimately earned him silver, while Lincoln secured bronze with his earlier mark of 20.70m.

Toor, meanwhile, struggled to maintain consistency. After slipping with a 19.98m second attempt, he managed to cross the 20m mark again with 20.03m in the third round. His best effort came in the fourth round, where he threw 20.27m to climb back into the top five.

However, with competitors consistently breaching the 20m mark, including South Africa’s Aiden Smith (20.31m) and New Zealand’s Nick Palmer (20.27m), the Indian was unable to mount a serious challenge for the medals. His final two throws of 20.26m and 19.79m were not enough to improve his position.

Samardeep showed gradual improvement with a second-round effort of 19.63m and later crossed the 20m mark with a throw of 20.03m. Despite his efforts, he could not keep pace with the leading pack and eventually finished seventh.

Missed opportunity despite strong qualification

Toor had entered the final as one of the top contenders after qualifying second overall with a throw of 20.14m, just behind Walsh’s 21.03m in the qualification round. Samardeep had also impressed, advancing as the fifth-best qualifier with a 19.95m effort.

Given their form leading into the final, there was optimism that India could finally secure its first Commonwealth Games medal in men’s shot put. However, the inability to deliver season-best performances at the crucial moment proved costly.

The result means India’s search for a podium finish in this event continues, despite steady progress in recent years and improved depth in the discipline.

Animesh Kujur falls short in 200m semifinals

In track events, Animesh Kujur endured a disappointing outing in the men’s 200m semifinals. The national record holder finished sixth in his heat with a time of 20.65 seconds, well below his personal best of 20.32 seconds.

Running from lane one in the second semifinal, Kujur struggled to match the pace of his competitors. Joseph Paul Amoah won the heat in 20.24 seconds, narrowly edging Jevaughn Powell, who clocked the same time in a photo finish. Botswana’s Prince Phaezel Selepe secured the third automatic qualification spot with a timing of 20.31 seconds.

Only the top eight athletes across the semifinals advanced to the final, and Kujur’s time ranked 10th among the 16 semifinalists, leaving him short of qualification.

Conclusion

The day highlighted both the progress and the challenges for Indian athletics at the Commonwealth Games 2026. While reaching finals in events like shot put reflects growing competitiveness, the inability to convert opportunities into medals remains a concern.

For athletes like Tajinderpal Singh Toor and Animesh Kujur, the focus will now shift to future international competitions, where they will aim to build on their experience and deliver stronger performances on the big stage.