Tejaswin Shankar on Wednesday became the first Indian to win men’s high jump medal in the Commonwealth Games.
He finished with a best of 2.22m and cleared 2.10, 2.15m, 2,19m and 2.22m in his first attempts. He failed 2.25m in his first two attempts and, having confirmed the bronze, had a shot at 2.28 with just one attempt remaining. Tejaswin Shankar couldn’t go past it but won the bronze and India’s 18th medal at the 2022 Games.
Donald Thomas of Bahamas and England’s Joel Clarke-Khan also cleared 2.22m but they needed more than one attempt to do it while Shankar was successful in a single try.
In women’s shot put final, Manpreet Kaur finished 12th and last with a disappointing best throw of 15.69m.
The 23-year-old Tejaswin Shankar could not soar over 2.25m in two attempts. He then went for 2.28m in his third and final attempt in a bid to win a silver but failed.
Before Shankar, the best position an Indian had achieved in men’s high jump in CWG was by Bhim Singh who cleared 2.06m in the 1970 edition in Edinburgh.
“I had a long (US) collegiate season and started jumping in January but getting a bronze here is like a dream come true and I’m just happy to take something back home with me,” an elated Shankar said.
Shankar had finished sixth in the 2018 Gold Coast edition with a best jump of 2.24m.
Shankar, who was added in the Indian athletics squad on the orders of Delhi High Court, has a season’s best of 2.27m and personal best of 2.29m.
