Toor secured fifth place with a best throw of 20.27 metres while Gill ended seventh with 20.03 metres on a competitive night at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow.

Strong qualifying shows build early hope

Both athletes had entered the final with solid qualification performances a day earlier. National record holder Tajinderpal Singh Toor cleared the automatic 20-metre mark with a 20.14m effort on his second attempt, ranking second overall in the qualifying round. Samardeep Singh Gill advanced with a best of 19.95m, finishing among the top 12 performers who made the medal round.

The final, held late on July 30, featured a high-quality field. Nigeria's Chukwuebuka Enekwechi claimed gold with 21.07m. New Zealand's Tom Walsh, the defending champion, took silver with 21.03m, and England's Scott Lincoln earned bronze with 20.99m.

Tajinderpal Singh Toor comes close but misses podium

Tajinderpal Singh Toor, the two-time Asian Games champion and India's national record holder with a personal best of 21.77m, produced consistent throws above 20 metres. He cleared the 20-metre barrier three times, with his best landing at 20.27m. Despite the solid distance, the podium remained just out of reach in a tightly contested final where the top three all went beyond 20.99m.

The experienced thrower showed fight throughout the six rounds but could not improve further in the later attempts. His performance reflected the steady progress Indian shot put has made on the international stage, even if a medal did not materialise this time.

Samardeep Singh Gill battles through mixed night

Samardeep Singh Gill, competing in his first major multi-sport Games final, improved steadily across his opening three throws to reach a personal best of 20.03m. That effort kept him in the top eight and earned him three additional attempts. However, the young athlete recorded fouls in his final three throws and finished seventh overall.

Gill's ability to break the 20-metre mark in the final marked a positive step for the emerging talent. He had qualified comfortably with 19.95m and showed composure against more experienced international rivals.

What the result means for Indian athletics

The fifth and seventh-place finishes mean India leaves the men's shot put without a medal at Glasgow 2026. Still, having two athletes in the final of a deep field underlines the growing depth in the event. Toor remains one of India's most consistent throwers over the past decade, while Gill's presence signals a promising next generation.