India’s discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur included in World Athletics Registered Testing Pool programme

Kamalpreet Kaur, India’s Tokyo Olympic Games finalist in the women's discus throw, has been included in the World Athletics Registered Testing Pool (RTP) programme for 2022. She is the second Indian athlete selected for the global RTP programme after Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra.

Elite athletes with outstanding performances at the international level have been selected for World Athletics RTP to support clean sport. Being a finalist at the Tokyo Olympic Games, Punjab’s 25-year-old discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur was selected for the World Athletics RTP.

Under RTP guidelines, she will have to file her quarterly whereabouts location in advance for an out-of-competition dope test to support clean sport. She also has to provide a one-hour window every day between 6 am and 11pm for random dope tests.

Failure to provide a 60-minute window for testing (urine and blood) could invite trouble for the athlete. According to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) whereabouts guidelines, three missed tests in 12 months may attract a two-year suspension from competition. Even misinformation provided by an athlete in their whereabouts could invite trouble.

It was a memorable Olympic debut for the Punjab thrower as she entered the final of the women’s discus throw at the Tokyo Olympic Games held last year in Japan.

The Indian national record holder in women’s discus throw was in focus for her outstanding performance as she finished sixth with a throw of 63.70m while in the qualification round she recorded a throw of 64m.

Despite training and competition being disrupted due to the pandemic, it was an excellent 2021 season for Kamalpreet. She qualified for the Olympics and improved the national record twice, besides becoming the first Indian to break the 65m barrier for discus.

Between March and June last year, Kaur improved the national record twice. She first erased the national record in March during a domestic meet in Patiala with a 65.06m throw. Later in June, Kaur improved her own national mark to 66.59m.

Kamalpreet will be the one to watch this year as there are three major international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games in August and Asian Games in September.