CHENNAI: As Indian players from various disciplines are going abroad where there are fewer cases and lesser restrictions for training and competitions, a bunch of track and field athletes are stuck in their centres in Patiala and Bengaluru. Ten individual athletes have already qualified along with the 4x400m mixed relay team, but there are a few athletes who are hoping to punch a Tokyo ticket. Their exposure trip to Turkey in early May was cancelled because of restrictions including quarantine as the Athletics Federation of India felt athletes should not miss training time at this crucial juncture.
One such athlete is shot-putter Tajinder Pal Singh Toor, who is training in Patiala. The predicament of the national record holder is quite unique. He is yet to attain qualifying standard for the Olympics (21.10m). He has been struggling with his throwing left-hand injury since last year and his progression of throws had a dip since Ranchi nationals in October, 2019 where he threw 20.92m (NR). His last throw was at the World Military Games a few days later. In the Road to Tokyo (World Athletics), he is still inside top 32 bracket, but barely. He is delicately placed at 29. And needs a few competitions to figure on the Tokyo start list.
It was not until January this year that he started training earnestly after recovering for that last dash to the tape. Training load both on and off the field is intense until competitions.His coach Mohinder Singh Dhillon and he chalked out a plan to compete during the Indian GP and the Federation Cup athletics meet in February/March. And then get ready for competitions in May/June.
As of now, David Storl of Germany is ahead of him at 28 with a 20.83m on February 2021. While below him is Richards O’Dayne of Jamaica whose season’s best is 19.79 (May, 2021). Twenty-seven athletes have sealed through qualifying standard. With the season starting in the US and Europe now, things can change. Because of the pandemic, not too many athletes have been competing either. Toor can’t leave anything to chances either because there are others on the list that might overtake him.“We were looking to do well and throw a good distance at Indian Grand Prix II and III and try and attain qualifying standard by Federation Cup in March,” said Toor, who is preparing for his next competition at NCOE Patiala. Only problem is he doesn’t know when.
“We had our plans and we were training accordingly,” said the 26-year-old Asian Games gold medallist. “We targetted the Indian GP early on and the Federation Cup. Our progression had been satisfactory.” He threw 19.49m, 20.09m and 20.58m in the three events. “I was getting close to the qualifying standard. I need events because I tend to do better when competition is tough. A couple of international meets would do a world of good. My preparations are going on fine and I am in good shape. There is no niggle in my hand either.”
Even as the AFI is trying to find a country in Europe where Indians would be allowed without much restrictions, time is running out for Toor with June 29 as the cut off for the Olympics qualifications. There is a possibility that the AFI may conduct a couple of Indian GP next month in Patiala itself among the national campers. As of now, even the Inter-state senior nationals scheduled on June 25 in Bengaluru looks unlikely. “AFI has been trying. Certain things are beyond our control,” he said. “I am ready for any competition any time.”Because of the heat, he has started practising late in the evening. “Adjustments need to be made here and there but training is going on fine.”