BIRMINGHAM
India’s Murali Sreeshankar secured a place in the men’s long jump final at the Commonwealth Games after clearing the qualification mark in his first attempt. The 27-year-old athlete produced an impressive leap of 8.01 metres, crossing the required eight-metre distance easily and finishing first in Qualifying Group A.
Sreeshankar had earlier won the silver medal at the 2022 Games in Birmingham and will now aim to repeat his strong performance in the final, which is scheduled for July 29, Wednesday. His successful qualification showed his confidence and ability to compete among the best athletes in the event. Sreeshankar’s effort also gave Indian fans hope for another medal as he prepares for the decisive round.
During the qualifying stage, Sreeshankar was the first athlete in his group to secure the final spot after achieving the target distance quickly. Jamaica’s Jordan Turner followed with a jump of 7.80 metres and remained behind the Indian athlete in the group standings. If Sreeshankar had missed the qualification mark, he would have needed a top 12 finish after both groups completed their rounds.
His previous performance in Birmingham saw him qualify with 8.05, but he settled for silver in the final after recording 8.08, narrowly missing gold due to the second-best jump rule. He now looks ready to chase victory in final.