Selva Prabhu clinches triple jump title at Oregon Team Invitational
Eugene, April 19
India's Selva Prabhu continued his impressive run in the 2026 athletics season by securing the men's triple jump title at the Oregon Team Invitational 2026 athletics meet.
Competing at the iconic Hayward Field, the 21-year-old produced a winning jump of 16.61m to finish at the top of the standings. He showed remarkable consistency across his attempts, also registering jumps of 16.57m and 16.37m during the competition.
Apalos Edwards finished second with a best effort of 16.53m, while Jhavor Bennett claimed third place after recording 16.11m.
Selva Prabhu, who had earlier won a silver medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2022, has been steadily building momentum this season. His personal best of 17.05m, achieved at the NCAA Indoor Championships 2026 in Fayetteville, remains the Indian indoor national record in the event.
At the national level, the overall record in men's triple jump is held by Praveen Chithravel, who has cleared 17.37m on two occasions.
The victory in Oregon marked Selva Prabhu's third title of the ongoing season. He had begun the year on a strong note by winning the Thane Baker athletics meet in Manhattan, Kansas, in January with a 16.49m effort. That performance also helped him surpass the Athletics Federation of India's qualifying standard of 16.28m for the Asian Games 2026.
However, meeting the qualification mark alone does not ensure selection for the Indian squad. As per the Athletics Federation of India's guidelines, athletes must participate in at least three domestic competitions, including mandatory appearances at state-level meets, to be eligible for selection.
Earlier this month, Selva Prabhu also claimed top honours at the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto with a jump of 15.76m. Across his other appearances this season, he has finished runner-up in three events, reflecting his consistent performances.
The Oregon Team Invitational is classified as a Category E meet on the World Athletics calendar.
— IANS
Reader Comments
So proud! Winning at Hayward Field is a big deal. He's only 21 and already breaking records. Hope the AFI selects him for the Asian Games squad without any unnecessary drama. He has clearly met the standard.
Great news, but the article highlights a key issue. Why does AFI have so many hurdles even after an athlete qualifies? "Must participate in three domestic competitions" – this forces our top athletes, who are training/competing abroad, to fly back unnecessarily. It's an outdated rule.
Consistency across attempts (16.61m, 16.57m, 16.37m) is the most impressive part. That shows real championship mentality. Well done, Selva!
His indoor national record is 17.05m! If he can get close to that outdoors, he'll be challenging Praveen Chithravel's national record soon. Exciting times for Indian triple jump. More power to him!
Third title of the season! 🥇 He's on a roll. Competing and winning in the US collegiate circuit is giving him great exposure. This is the path more Indian athletes should take for development.
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