Shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor pulled off a big final round throw to defend his title on a medal-laden day for India at the Asian Games.

Toor made a remarkable comeback after opening with two foul throws and trailing at third at the end of the third round.

He jumped to second with his 20.06m fourth-round throw but had a foul throw next to be on the verge of losing the gold to Saudi Arabia’s Mohamed Daouda Tolo.

But Toor, the Asian record holder, saved his best for the last as hurled the iron ball to 20.36m to nail the gold.

Another Indian in the mix, Sahib Singh finished eighth with his 18.62m attempt.

Toor thus became the fourth Indian shot putter to defend an Asian Games gold after Parduman Singh Brar (1954 and 1958), Joginder Singh (1966 and 1970) and Bahadur Singh Chouhan (1978 and 1982).

"I feel really good," said Toor. "My wife asked me to bring her gold, only gold."

Toor did not have the best of preparations before the Games as he could practice only briefly at his training base in Patiala. A recurring groin injury had been troubling him.

Lack of practice was evident in Toor’s initial throws on Sunday. But the gold establishes his position among Asian shot-putters.

Seema’s bronze

Veteran discus thrower Seema Punia won a bronze for her third medal in as many editions of the Asian Games with a throw of 58.62m.

“This is my last Asian Games and I am ending with a medal. I think I will be looking ahead to qualify for the Paris Olympics maybe through ranking,” she said.

The 40-year-old Punia won a gold in the 2014 Asian Games and then added a bronze in 2018. She has also won three silver and one bronze in the Commonwealth Games in her over 20-year international career.

With inputs from PTI