While the spotlight in Glasgow’s Scotstoun Stadium fixated on the high-octane battle between Lindon Victor and Damian Warner, the most compelling storyline of the Commonwealth Games decathlon belonged to India’s Tejaswin Shankar.

Entering the two-day multi-event grind carrying a painful patellar tendon injury which had earlier forced him to withdraw from his marquee high jump event, Shankar showed classic resilience to secure a bronze medal against the odds with 7976 points.
​Overcoming the Odds on Day One
​Shankar’s campaign opened in ominous fashion when a cautious 10.96s in the 100m sprint saw him finish last in the opening heat. However, the Indian national record holder refused to let physical discomfort dictate his tournament. Rallying behind extensive physical therapy between events, he responded with a personal-best 7.82m leap in the long jump, snagging a crucial 1,015 points.
​He then relied on his core technical mastery in the high jump clearing 2.15m to comfortably top the discipline and managed his effort in the 400m (49.51s) to finish Day 1 in an astonishing second place overall, trailing Olympic champion Damian Warner by a mere 14 points.
​Holding the Line to Lock Up the Podium
​Day 2 tested the outer limits of Shankar’s physical endurance on an already compromised knee. Yet, his technical composure held firm when it mattered most. In the discus throw, an event historically considered one of his weaker technical disciplines, Shankar registered another personal best with a 40.44m effort, briefly pushing him ahead of Victor in the overall standings.
​As Victor’s massive javelin throw reshuffled the podium order and put gold out of reach, Shankar stayed laser-focused on preserving his top-three position against a charging English contingent. Balancing risk  in the pole vault and javelin, he entered the final 1500m needing only to manage his pace relative to the chasing pack. He crossed the line exhausted, leaving everything on the track to seal the bronze.
​For an athlete who began the week in tears wondering if he could even take the line, Shankar’s second consecutive Commonwealth Games medal and his first in the decathlon was a triumph of grit, and tactical discipline.

One of the most dramatic moments of the Commonwealth Games 2026 unfolded during the men’s decathlon discus throw, where an officiating error involving Grenada’s Lindon Victor overshadowed an event that also saw India’s Tejaswin Shankar produce the best discus performance of his career.

Victor, one of the favourites for the decathlon title, appeared to seize control of the competition after launching what looked to be a massive lifetime best of over 56 metres. However, celebrations were cut short when officials ruled the throw invalid after discovering an incorrect measurement.

In an unusual turn of events, Victor was granted an additional attempt to compensate for the officiating mistake, effectively receiving a fourth throw while every other competitor had only the standard three attempts.

The Grenadian, however, was unable to take advantage of the opportunity, fouling the extra attempt.

His second-best throw of 53.52m therefore remained his official mark, earning him 944 points.

Tejaswin Produces Career-Best Discus Throw

While the spotlight briefly shifted to the officiating controversy, Tejaswin Shankar quietly produced one of the performances of his career.

The Indian all-rounder registered back-to-back personal bests before uncorking a lifetime best 40.44m on his final attempt.

It marked the first time Tejaswin had crossed the 40-metre mark in the discus throw, a significant milestone in his development as a decathlete.

The throw earned him 674 points, taking his cumulative tally to 5,935 points after seven events.

Title Race Wide Open

With seven of the ten disciplines completed, the decathlon has developed into a fascinating battle.

Standings after seven events:

  1. 🇨🇦 Damian Warner – 5,938 points
  2. 🇮🇳 Tejaswin Shankar – 5,935 points

Just three points separate the Canadian Olympic champion and the Indian, setting up a thrilling contest heading into the pole vault, one of the most decisive events of the decathlon.

With Tejaswin producing personal bests and Warner continuing his trademark consistency, the race for the Commonwealth Games decathlon title is poised for a dramatic finish.

 

India’s Tejaswin Shankar made an impressive start to the men’s decathlon at the Commonwealth Games 2026, finishing Day 1 in second place after five events with a total of 4,339 points. The Indian national record holder trails Damian Warner by just 14 points, setting up an exciting battle heading into the final five events.

Tejaswin delivered a series of consistent performances throughout the opening day, showcasing his versatility across the sprint, jumps, throws, and middle-distance disciplines.

He opened his campaign in the 100m, clocking 10.96s to earn 870 points before producing the standout performance of his day in the long jump. The Indian all-rounder soared to a personal best of 7.82m, collecting an impressive 1,015 points—his highest-scoring event of the day and a major boost to his overall tally.

In the shot put, Tejaswin recorded 13.09m, adding 673 points, before excelling once again in the high jump. Clearing 2.15m, he earned 944 points, underlining one of his strongest disciplines and keeping himself firmly in medal contention.

He concluded the opening day with a solid run in the 400m, clocking 49.51s to secure 837 points and finish the day with 4,339 points overall.

Tejaswin’s Day 1 Results:

With just 14 points separating him from leader Damian Warner, the decathlon remains finely poised heading into Day 2. The remaining five events will decide the medals, and Tejaswin will be aiming to maintain his consistency as he bids for a podium finish in one of athletics’ most demanding disciplines at the Commonwealth Games.

 

Haryana’s Pooja delivered the performance of her career at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships 2026, winning the women’s heptathlon title with 5,619 points and surpassing the Asian Games qualification standard of 5,605 points.

The all-rounder produced a remarkable display of consistency across all seven disciplines, registering five personal bests during the competition. Her outstanding performances culminated in a memorable victory at India’s premier domestic athletics championship, securing both the national title and a place at the upcoming Asian Games.

Pooja began her campaign strongly with 14.48s in the 100m hurdles, earning 912 points, before clearing 1.73m in the high jump to add 891 points. She then produced a personal best of 11.61m in the shot put, collecting 635 points.

Her momentum continued with another lifetime best of 26.15s in the 200m, which earned 784 points. In the long jump, she recorded a personal best of 5.78m for 783 points, followed by another breakthrough performance in the javelin throw, where she achieved 44.88m, adding 761 points to her tally.

Heading into the final event, the 800m, Pooja required a strong performance to reach the Asian Games qualification standard. Rising to the occasion, she produced yet another personal best, clocking 2:17.85s to take her overall score to 5,619 points, comfortably surpassing the required benchmark.

Her ability to deliver five personal bests in seven events highlights the exceptional quality of her performance and reflects the progress she has made as a combined-events athlete. Saving one of her finest competitions for the biggest domestic meet of the season demonstrated both her consistency and competitive temperament.

With the Interstate title secured and Asian Games qualification achieved, Pooja has firmly established herself among India’s leading heptathletes. Her outstanding all-round display stands as one of the most impressive performances of the championships and provides a significant boost for Indian combined events ahead of the continental competition.

 

Haryana’s Pooja is on the verge of a memorable performance at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships 2026, leading the women’s heptathlon standings with 4,766 points after the completion of six events.

The all-rounder has enjoyed an outstanding competition so far, delivering consistent performances across multiple disciplines while registering four personal bests during the first six events. Her impressive display has placed her at the top of the leaderboard heading into the decisive 800m, the final event of the heptathlon.

Pooja began her campaign with a 14.48s run in the 100m hurdles, earning 912 points, before clearing 1.73m in the high jump to add 891 points. She continued her strong run with a personal best of 11.61m in the shot put, collecting 635 points.

Her momentum carried into the track events, where she clocked a personal best of 26.15s in the 200m for 784 points. In the long jump, another lifetime best of 5.78m earned her 783 points, while she concluded the sixth event with yet another personal best in the javelin throw, recording 44.88m to collect 761 points.

With four personal bests already achieved during the competition, Pooja has demonstrated remarkable consistency and composure under pressure. Her performances across the six disciplines have positioned her within reach of a major milestone.

The focus now shifts to the concluding 800m, where she will need a performance close to her personal best of 2:18.58 to reach the Asian Games qualification standard of 5,605 points. The final race will determine whether her exceptional all-round effort translates into a place at the continental event.

Having already produced one of the finest competitions of her career, Pooja now stands just one race away from potentially securing Asian Games qualification. All eyes will be on the 800m as she looks to complete an outstanding heptathlon campaign with one final big performance.

India produced a dominant performance in the men’s decathlon at the U20 Asian Athletics Championships 2026, clinching both gold and silver in one of the most demanding events in athletics.

The star of the competition was Rahul Jakhar, who delivered a sensational all-round performance to win gold with a massive tally of 7185 points. In the process, the young Indian shattered the U20 national record and moved to the top of the U20 world rankings for the season.

Adding to India’s celebrations, compatriot Upkar secured silver with 6854 points, ensuring a remarkable one-two finish for the country.

Final standings:
🥇 Rahul Jakhar (India) — 7185 points
🥈 Upkar (India) — 6854 points
🥉 Askar Omirzak (Kazakhstan) — 6774 points

What made Rahul’s performance even more impressive was the sheer consistency across two exhausting days of competition.

The young decathlete registered personal bests in seven out of the ten events — a remarkable indicator not just of talent, but of composure under pressure. The decathlon tests every aspect of an athlete: speed, endurance, strength, technique and mental resilience. To peak across multiple disciplines in a championship setting is rare even at elite level.

Rahul’s score now places him among the most exciting junior combined-event athletes emerging globally this season.

India has traditionally struggled to produce elite-level decathletes despite occasional flashes of promise. Events like the decathlon require access to high-quality coaching, technical infrastructure and long-term athlete development systems across multiple disciplines simultaneously — something difficult to sustain in many athletics programmes.

That is why performances like Rahul’s carry significance beyond just medals.

The rise of athletes like Tejaswin Shankar at senior level had already sparked fresh interest in combined events in India. Now, Rahul Jakhar’s breakthrough suggests another generation may be emerging behind him.

The silver medal by Upkar further highlighted India’s growing depth in the event. Scoring 6854 points at the U20 level is itself a highly competitive performance and underlined how strongly India competed throughout the two days.

Perhaps the most encouraging aspect for Indian athletics is that both athletes are still extremely young.

Combined-event athletes often mature later than specialists because mastering ten disciplines takes years of technical development. Strong junior performances therefore become important indicators of long-term potential rather than immediate finished products.

For Rahul, the next challenge will be transitioning these scores onto bigger stages and eventually pushing toward senior international standards.

But for now, Indian athletics can celebrate a rare and emphatic statement in one of track and field’s toughest events.

A gold medal, a silver medal, a national record and the world-leading U20 score of the season — it was a memorable two days for India’s future decathlon stars.

Kerala’s Anamika K produced a strong all-round performance to clinch gold in the women’s heptathlon at Federation Cup 2026, finishing with a lifetime best total of 5685 points.  
She registered personal bests in 3 of the 7 events:
• 100m Hurdles – 14.01s* (PB)
• High Jump – 1.67m
• Shot Put – 11.11m
• 200m – 24.75s* (PB)
• Long Jump – 5.95m
• Javelin Throw – 38.52m
• 800m – 2:14.12s (PB).
The 22-Years-old missed the Commonwealth Games qualification mark of 6095 points, but the young heptathlete has certainly emerged as a talent to watch for the future.
 Gap to CWG mark: 410 points — significant but not impossible for a 22-year-old still setting personal bests. With consistent improvement across 3+ events, Anamika has a clear pathway to the 6095 mark.

Tejaswin Shankar becomes the first Indian ever to cross 8000 points in Decathlon!!!

Tejaswin has completed the Federation Cup 2026 decathlon with a massive 8057 points, becoming the first Indian in history to breach the 8000-point mark.

A historic performance from India’s national record holder, rewriting the standards of combined events in the country.

What a day it has been for Indian athletics — 100m national record, sub-45s, and now an 8000+ decathlete.

He also breached the CWG qualification standards

 Results after 8 events:

–110m Hurdles – 14.23s (945 pts)

– Discus Throw – 37.90m (622 pts)

– Pole Vault – 4.20m (673 pts)

Tejaswin Shankar now moves to 6751 points after 8 events.

Two events still left Javelin Throw and 1500m – 1249 points away from the 8000-point mark – 1036 points away from the CWG qualification standard (7787 pts) – 1075 points away from his own national record (7826 pts)

India’s national record holder Tejaswin Shankar made an impressive start to the decathlon competition at the Federation Cup Athletics Championships in Ranchi, leading the standings after the first three events with 2575 points.

Tejaswin, who has increasingly established himself as one of India’s premier all-round athletes, registered personal best performances in both the 100m and long jump during the morning session.

The 26-year-old clocked 10.77s in the 100m before producing a strong leap of 7.67m in the long jump, both lifetime bests that significantly boosted his early points tally. He then followed it up with a solid 13.31m effort in the shot put to maintain his lead in the standings.

The strong opening session underlined Tejaswin’s growing development in the decathlon, an event that demands consistency across ten disciplines spread over two days.

The Federation Cup is serving as an important competition for athletes targeting international qualification standards ahead of major events next season. Tejaswin is currently chasing the Commonwealth Games 2026 qualification mark of 7787 points.

Already India’s national record holder in the decathlon, Tejaswin’s form in Ranchi will be closely watched, particularly because improvements in sprinting and jumping events can significantly influence overall scoring potential in combined events competitions.

Known originally for his achievements in high jump, Tejaswin has successfully transitioned into one of India’s leading decathletes, bringing greater attention to combined events in Indian athletics.