Selva Prabhu Wins Triple Jump Gold at Oregon, Eyes Asian Games 2026

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