Tejaswin Shankar.
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association
With the wait to higher his excessive leap nationwide document getting longer and torturous, Tejaswin Shankar is now trying to the decathlon for consolation.
He’s now aiming to develop into the primary Indian to interrupt the 8000-point barrier within the multi-eventer and feels he might get there quickly.
“I actually really feel that I can get to 8000 earlier than (excessive leap’s) 2.30m however I don’t need to jinx myself as a result of I’ve been ready for practically eight years for that 2.30.
“That’s the entire purpose I made a decision to do the mixed occasions so I actually need to get that first,” stated Shankar, the Asian Video games decathlon silver medallist, in a chat with The Hindu.
“The two.29 (his excessive leap nationwide document) is the worst quantity to ever be, I’d fairly be on 2.28 than be at 2.29 and never be at 2.30.”
The 26-year-old broke the decathlon Nationwide document (new document 7666 factors) on the final Asian Video games and his performances within the latest Nationwide Federation Athletics Championships in Kochi point out that he’s getting nearer to 8000.
“For me, the largest positives in Kochi had been the javelin and the 1500m, the final two occasions,” stated Shankar, additionally decathlon’s Asian bronze medallist and the excessive leap bronze medallist on the 2022 Commonwealth Video games.
“My first throw was a private finest by 2m and I used to be additionally very pleased concerning the 1500 as a result of it’s probably the most dreaded occasion.
“In Kochi, the largest problem for me was not about attempting to run behind any individual and run an excellent time, fairly I wished to run the worst time and lead the race and that’s what I used to be attempting to do, particularly after the primary lap. And I shocked myself on the finish.”
That introduced him a private finest too. Shankar would have hit one other excessive within the pole vault too however there was an issue.
“My finest is 4.10m however I jumped 4m. The rationale I couldn’t take the subsequent peak was simply because I didn’t have a much bigger pole,” he stated.
After specializing in the excessive leap in an try to qualify for the Paris Olympics final 12 months, Shankar is totally into the multi-eventer this season.
“This 12 months and onwards, particularly till LA 2028 Olympics, the aim can be to attempt to develop into the perfect mixed occasions athlete I could be. That doesn’t imply I’m not going to the excessive leap in between however that’s not my main aim.
“Even when I do 2.30m in these competitions, that doesn’t imply my main aim is to maneuver to the excessive leap however to attempt to get as many factors as I can.”
Shankar is now searching for a contest in Europe to enhance his decathlon document.
“The aim is to attempt to get a contest in Europe later this 12 months the place I can, with out worrying concerning the outcomes,” simply rating as huge as I can as a result of the circumstances might be a bit extra pleasant. As a result of climate undoubtedly performs a task,” he stated.
Printed – April 26, 2025 10:09 pm IST
