India’s Tejaswin Shankar won India’s first track and field medal in Birmingham, winning bronze in the men’s high jump.
India’s National Record holder Tejaswin Shankar becomes the 1st ever Indian to clinched a medal in high jump at Commonwealth Games.
Tejaswin Shankar took home Bronze with a best effort of 2.22m while New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr won Gold with 2.25m and Australia’s Brandon Starc won silver. Tejaswin achieved a season-best of 2.27m in the World Athletics Championships in Eugene in June and he would have won Gold had he matched that feat.
Tejaswin also became the first Indian to win a high jump medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Tejaswin Shankar after winning bronze in men’s high jump said,I’m very happy that I won a medal and opened India’s tally in athletics. I’m thankful to all those who believed in me & gave me this opportunity. I think this is India’s first medal in high jump in Commonwealth Games history.”
“I have made up my mind. That’s a certainly I want to compete in Decathlon at the Asian Games. Going forward even if I don’t compete I want to continue training in decathlon because that’s really worked for me,” Tejaswin said while interacting with the media.
“I have been able to supplement my high jump training through a lot of long jump and hurdles and every time I am competing in high jump, I have been able to make the most of it. I feel the improvised decathlon training has helped me with high jump and if in due course I am able to improve in other events, I feel I will have a good shot at Asian level,” he added.
🗣️ "My mom deserves this [medal]. Since I started sports, she's always been with me."#B2022 🥉 medallist @TejaswinShankar reflects on how far he has come, his mother's role in his journey, and his upcoming "9-5 job as an accountant" 📈🇮🇳😊#EkIndiaTeamIndia | #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/csfP9efCnK
— Team India (@WeAreTeamIndia) August 4, 2022
The 23-year-old also stated that he has completed his studies, but would go back to the United States of America soon to join his new job.
Commonwealth Games 2022 Bronze medallist Tejashwi Shankar reflects on how far he has come, his mother’s role in his journey, and his upcoming “9-5 job as an accountant”
“My mom deserves this [medal]. Since I started sports, she’s always been with me,” he added.
“I have completed my schooling but have bagged a full-time offer with Deloitte at Kansas City as an accountant. So, I will start working with them in September. In meantime, I will go back to off-season preparations or compete in whatever competitions I can get my hands on,” he said.
Topics
Commonwealth Games Birmingham Tejaswin Shankar High Jump Sports Kolkata
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