Below her best at Tokyo 2020, Kamalpreet Kaur matches India’s best Olympic finish in discus

Kamalpreet Kaur produced a respectable show to match India’s best-ever performance in the discus throw at the Olympics on Monday.

Competing in the women’s final at the Olympic Stadium, the 25-year-old Kamalpreet Kaur measured her best throw at 63.70 metres to finish sixth among the 12 finalists at Tokyo 2020. She had gone 64 metres in the qualifiers.

Kamalpreet’s 63.70 matched 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Krishna Poonia’s sixth-place finish in the final at the 2012 London Olympics.

At Tokyo 2020, USA’s Valarie Allman won the gold medal with an effort of 68.98 metres while Kristin Pudenz of Germany managed 66.86m on her final attempt to pocket the silver.

Meanwhile, the world champion Yaime Pérez of Cuba had to settle for the bronze with an attempt of 65.72m.

Kamalpreet Kaur’s first throw cleared 61.62m and was provisionally placed sixth in the standings. Her second attempt was a foul, When the final resumed after a rain break, the competitors continued their quest to secure a place in the top eight. 

In the final of an athletics field event, the entire field gets three attempts while only the top eight stay on to complete the quota of six opportunities.

Kamalpreet Kaur, who slipped to ninth place after the second round, came up with a 63.70m throw that saw her rise to the sixth spot.

But with a 61.37 metres throw sandwiched between two foul attempts meant she couldn’t push for the medals at her debut Olympics.

Kamalpreet Kaur’s personal best is 65.06 metres, a national record she set at the Federation Cup in March. She also threw a 66.59m at the Indian Grand Prix in June but it’s not considered a national record since she was the sole participant on the day.

Earlier in the day, Dutee Chand wrapped up her Tokyo Olympics campaign after failing to qualify for the semi-finals of the women’s 200m event.