Manpreet Kaur redeems career with Asian Games bronze, puts doping taint behind her

After a decade-long doping ban, Manpreet Kaur, a 36-year-old shot put athlete, secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games, marking her first medal in the continental games. Her impressive throw of 17.17 metres, though surpassed by the Chinese duo Song Jiyuan (19.40m) and Zhang Linru (18.14m), signified a special moment for Kaur as her 14-year-old daughter Jasnoor and her husband and coach Karamjeet Singh watched her from the stands.

Kaur expressed her gratitude, stating, "Seeing my daughter and husband cheering for me from the stands is the biggest delight."

Kaur's journey has been riddled with challenges, including the loss of her father at the age of 12, her mother's paralysis since 2005, and a C-section delivery that hindered her return to competition. She battled these obstacles with the support of her family, especially her mother-in-law Sukhwant Kaur, who encouraged her by reciting Sukhmani path.

Her transformation in shot put technique came after her husband suggested a switch from the glide to the rotational technique, which proved successful as she regained her upper body strength. However, her career was marred by a doping ban due to contaminated supplements, a phase that proved tough but mentally challenging. With recent training under Parveer Singh, Kaur has managed to correct her elbow position, starting step, and center foot placement, contributing to her recent success.