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Birmingham: Till a few days back, high jumper Tejaswin Shankar was not sure whether he would be able to participate in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
On Wednesday, he stood on the podium at the Alexander Stadium here, with a bronze medal around his neck and a smile of satisfaction on his lips, as he won his first medal in a major multi-discipline international competition.
After not being selected for the Games because he had not participated in the inter-state meeting – which were the trials, his name was finally cleared for participation by the court and it was only last week that the organizers reassured him. and allowed him to join the Indian athletics team as a late replacement. He had reached Birmingham three days earlier.
He gave a befitting reply to all his critics, silent and strong, which makes his bronze medal on par with gold.
Tejaswin, 23, silenced his critics by winning a bronze medal in the men’s high jump. He won India’s first track and field medal and the country’s 29th medal in athletics at the 2022 edition of the Games.
The medal was not easy as Tejaswin had to overcome a tough challenge to get it. His best effort of the day of 2.22m – not his personal best effort – was nonetheless significant, as it earned him third place on the podium.
New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr won the gold with a best jump of 2.25 – similar to Australia’s Brandon Starc, who eventually took the silver with a 2:19m. He cleared it, but was soon joined by the chasing pack, who were looking for an opportunity.
Tejaswin eventually won the medal with a jump of 2.22, attempting to lift 2.25, assuring himself of a bronze. He tried on 2.25 regarding the ceiling win.
After winning the bronze medal, Tejaswin said, a medal means the world to me. Five days ago I was not even sure whether I would be here or not. It’s just people wishing to go home with some hardware today, my family’s support mother’s support, she was awake all night looking at me, she’s been on it for the past month and a half. It has been a tough journey for us as a family but in the end everyone came together and made it through.
Tejaswin said, I am grateful to the federation, IOA and all those who did this at the last minute, who put me in this position. I am not one of those people who make excuses for not being here and just because I am here. I want to give my best performance.
Although he tried to go higher and fight for the silver medal. He said that although he doubted whether it was too late to attend the Commonwealth Games, he continued to fight and practice. He played a tactical game on Wednesday.
Though Tejaswin couldn’t come close to his personal best, it was enough for him to enter the history books as India’s first high jumper to win a medal in the high jump at the Commonwealth Games.
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