Athletics
Who is Kamalpreet Kaur? 10 things you need to know about her.
10 things you should know about Kamalpreet Kaur who has qualified for Tokyo Olympics in the women's discus throw event.
Kamalpreet Kaur broke the 9-year-old National Record in Discuss Throw. (Photo: AFI)
India's Discus Throw sensation Kamalpreet Kaur is stealing the thunder at the Tokyo Olympics. A 64.00m throw in the Qualification round guaranteed a place in the Finals of the event. The 25-year-old from Punjab became just the second Indian woman to qualify for the Finals of the event at the Olympics as she finished second and behind USA's Valarie Allman who produced a best throw of 66.42m.
Earlier this year, Kamalpreet Kaur sent the entire nation into frenzy when she sent the discus 65.06m far – a National Record in the sport for women, and thereby securing a direct qualification to the Tokyo Olympics for herself during the 24th Federation Cup Senior Athletics Championships held at Patiala.
The 25-year-old Kamalpreet from Badal in Punjab was not overawed by the presence of the 2014 Asian Games champion Seema Punia. Nor did Kaur let the fact that she had a couple of 60m-plus behind her affect her. The earlier such throws came in the 2018 Inter-Railway Championships in Lucknow (61.04m) and the 2019 Federation Cup here (60.25m).
Kamalpreet became the 10th Indian in track and field event to secure the Olympic Games athletics qualification mark laid down by World Athletics.
Here, are 10 things you should know about India's latest finalist in Athletics at the Olympics:
Kamalpreet Kaur is the first Indian woman to breach the 65m barrier
With her throw of 65.06m to earn a direct Olympic qualification, Kamalpreet Kaur became the first-ever Indian woman to breach the 65m barrier in discus throw.
Kamalpreet Kaur defeated former Asian Games Gold medallist
Kamalpreet Kaur defeated former Asian Games gold medallist, Seema Punia, en route her record-breaking 65.06m throw at the 24th National Federation Cup held in Patiala.
This is Kamalpreet Kaur's second consecutive Federation Cup gold
The gold medal effort at the 24th National Federation Cup was Kamalpreet Kaur's second consecutive gold at the tournament. She had also clinched the gold medal with a throw of 60.25m during the 23rd National Federation Cup in 2019.
Where was Kamalpreet Kaur born?
Kamalpreet Kaur hails from Badal village in Sri Muktsar Sahib district of Punjab.
Whom does Kamalpreet Kaur represent at the National level?
Kamalpreet Kaur is employed by the Indian Railways and represents them in the national circuit.
Who introduced Kamalpreet Kaur to discus throw?
Kamalpreet Kaur was asked to try out discus throw by the Physical Education instructor at her school before an inter-school sports meet, just because of her physique.
When did Kamalpreet Kaur start practising discus throw seriously?
Kamalpreet Kaur started practising discus throw seriously only in the year 2014 at the Sports Authority of India centre in Badal village.
Kamalpreet Kaur is a U-18 and U-20 national champion
Kamalpreet Kaur became an under-18 and under-20 national champion in the year 2016.
Kamalpreet Kaur finished sixth in the World University Games
Kamalpreet Kaur finished at the sixth spot during the 29th World University Games in 2017.
Kamalpreet Kaur represented India at the Asian Championships
Kamalpreet Kaur had represented India at the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships held in Doha and finished at the fifth spot with a throw of 55.59m. She had qualified for the event by clinching the gold at the 2019 National Federation Cup.
