CWG 2026: Sreeshankar leaps to silver in men's long jump, wins India's latest athletics medal
Glasgow, July 30
India's Murali Sreeshankar delivered another memorable performance on the Commonwealth Games stage, clinching the silver medal in the men's long jump with a best effort of 8.09m in a high-quality final on Wednesday night.
Sreeshankar, who hails from Pallakad in Kerala and is coached by his father S. Murali, produced his best jump in the second round, recording 8.09m after opening with 8.03m. Despite two foul attempts later in the competition, the Indian athlete remained in medal contention throughout and held on to second place. He ended his campaign with 7.94m and 7.97m in his last two jumps.
The 27-year-old Sreeshankar had won a silver medal in the Birmingham edition in 2022 with a jump of 8.08 metres and became the first male long jumper from India to win a silver medal at the Games.
The medal took India's tally to 13 with two gold, eight silver and three bronze medals. In athletics and para-athletics, India have so far won five medals -- one gold, three silver and one bronze.
Jamaica's 2019 World Champion Tajay Gayle secured the gold medal with a winning leap of 8.15m, while Scotland's Stephen Mackenzie claimed bronze with 8.08m, finishing just one centimetre behind Sreeshankar in a thrilling contest.
India also had another finalist in the event, with Lokesh Sathyanathan finishing fifth after registering a best jump of 7.97m, adding to India's strong showing in the discipline.
The final witnessed intense competition, with four athletes crossing the eight-metre mark. Sreeshankar's 8.09m ultimately proved enough to secure India's latest athletics medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
The silver further strengthens India's athletics campaign and adds another significant achievement to Sreeshankar's impressive international resume, as he once again showcased his consistency on the big stage.
— IANS
Reader Comments
So proud of our athletes! Sreeshankar has been consistent since Birmingham. Also good to see Lokesh finishing 5th - that's depth in the event. Kerala is producing some amazing jumpers. Government needs to invest more in grassroot sports coaching instead of just cricket. 👏
Silver is fantastic but we need to aim for gold. One centimetre difference from the Jamaican champion shows how close it was. Maybe we need more international exposure for our jumpers. Still, great effort from Sreeshankar - he's making India proud! 🇮🇳
Wonderful consistency from Sreeshankar! Two CWG silvers in a row is special. And 4 athletes crossing 8m shows how competitive long jump has become. India's medal tally is decent but we really need to improve in gold medals. Hope athletics federation plans better for Paris 2024.
Ek dum zabardast! Chhapaak performance from Sreeshankar. But honestly, I was expecting gold after his recent form. Still, 8.09m against world class field is very good. His father coaching him is a beautiful story - that dedication shows in his technique. Keep shining! ⭐
Quality performance! But we need to be critical - 8.09m is good but Olympic level requires 8.30m+. Our athletes need to push harder, better training infrastructure, more competitions abroad. Sreeshankar has potential but we can't be satisfied with silvers forever. Good effort though 👌
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