Manpreet Kaur finally has an Asian Games medal to her name. The 36-year-old Indian shot putter won the bronze medal in the women’s shot put at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya on Friday, a best performance of 17.17m. It was a big achievement for Manpreet as in the same event she placed fifth at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
Manpreet's bronze had also made her one of the few Indian women who have made it to the Asian Games podium in women's shot put. After years of international competition the Nagoya medal was another big step in her athletics career.
Manpreet Improves From Hangzhou Fifth-Place Finish
Manpreet came into the Asian Games final with the experience of her previous continental campaign in mind. In Hangzhou in 2023 she narrowly missed out on the podium after fifth place. The Nagoya tournament was another chance to compete for a medal, and this time she was able to turn it into a podium.
She opened the final with a throw of 16.32m but then gradually improved as the competition progressed. Her fourth round performance of 17.17m was the most important throw of the evening with her placing in the bronze medal spot.
The Indian athlete was unable to improve that mark with her remaining attempts, including a foul on her sixth and final throw. But her 17.17m effort had already secured third place, so she could celebrate her first Asian Games medal.
17.17m Throw Delivers The Bronze
The fourth-round throw was the defining moment of Manpreet's competition. Starting with 16.32m, she built her series and finally finished with 17.17m to win the bronze.
Manpreet's ability to throw her best throw from a distance at a key moment in the final was a critical one in a field where small differences in distance can determine the final medal positions. Even if she could not increase her distance in the final rounds, she had already established enough of a margin to remain on the podium.
The medal is particularly meaningful to Manpreet given the consistency she has exhibited consistently on international competitions. The result in Nagoya adds an Asian Games medal to a career that has included participation in big continental and international competitions.
Another Near-Miss Turns Into A Medal
Manpreet’s bronze at the Asian Games also comes after another narrow miss earlier in 2026. At the Commonwealth Games she finished fourth with a best throw of 17.49m, once again ending a major competition just outside the medal positions.
This fourth-place finish made the Nagoya result even more significant in the context of her recent season. Manpreet was able to get on the podium and add another Asian Games medal to her list.
She went from fifth place in Hangzhou to bronze in Nagoya, and her success on the continental stage shows that she’s progressing. It also tells us to keep going at big tournaments because one throw can be the difference between being outside of the medals and on the podium.
Krishna Jayasankar Finishes Fifth
Manpreet wasn't the only Indian athlete who competed in the women's shot put final. Krishna Jayasankar also represented India and finished fifth with a best of 16.57m.
Though Jayasankar did not win a medal, having two Indian athletes in the final helped India to have a strong presence in the event. Manpreet’s podium was ultimately the highlight of India’s campaign in women’s shot put.
In Manpreet's mind, the Nagoya competition was more than simply adding another medal to her collection. It was an opportunity to react after her fifth-place finish in Hangzhou and fourth-place result at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year.
A Long-Awaited Asian Games Breakthrough
Manpreet Kaur's bronze medal is an important accomplishment in her career. At 36 she has finally added an Asian Games medal to her list of international achievements, completing a journey that included disappointment at Hangzhou and another near-podium finish at the Commonwealth Games.
Her 17.17m throw in Nagoya ensured that this time there would be no agonising fourth- or fifth-place finish. Manpreet won bronze and became one of the Indian women to make history in the Asian Games shot put event.
The Nagoya podium finish is, with a sense of confidence, one of the most defining moments of her Asian Games career. After many missed out in her previous attempts Manpreet managed to convert her consistency and experience into a continental medal.
