India received its first positive result of the day at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2026 as Basant booked his place in the men’s high jump final with a composed performance in the qualification round.

Basant cleared a best height of 2.14m to finish fifth in his qualification group and 11th overall, earning one of the 12 places available in the final. His consistent jumping and ability to clear crucial heights with minimal attempts proved decisive in a closely contested qualification competition.

The Indian youngster enjoyed an impressive series, beginning with a first-attempt clearance at 2.00m, before comfortably negotiating 2.05m and 2.10m, both on his first attempt. He then cleared 2.14m on his second attempt, a jump that ultimately secured his progression to the medal round.

Basant’s Qualification Series:

Interestingly, no athlete across either qualification group managed to clear the automatic qualifying height of 2.21m. As a result, qualification was determined by the athletes’ performances and countback, with 2.14m proving sufficient to secure a place among the top 12 finalists.

Basant’s composed display under championship conditions reflects his consistency and ability to deliver when qualification was at stake. Clearing three successive heights on the first attempt gave him a valuable advantage before his successful effort at 2.14m ensured his place in the final.

With qualification secured, Basant will now turn his attention to the medal round, where he will compete against the world’s best junior high jumpers. His performance in the qualifying competition provides a solid foundation as he looks to produce another strong display in the final and challenge for a place among the leading finishers at the World Athletics U20 Championships.

 

India’s P. Royshan and Dhanush Raj were unable to secure places in the men’s triple jump final at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2026, bringing the country’s campaign in the event to an end.

Competing in a strong qualification round featuring some of the world’s best junior jumpers, both Indian athletes fell short of the marks required to progress to the medal round. P. Royshan finished 25th overall, while Dhanush Raj placed 34th overall in the combined qualification standings.

Athletes needed to achieve the automatic qualifying standard of 16.00m or finish among the best 12 performers across both qualification groups to advance to the final. Despite their efforts, neither Indian jumper was able to meet the qualifying criteria.

The qualification round was topped by USA’s Miles Nesmith, who produced a personal best of 16.41m to comfortably surpass the automatic qualification mark and finish first overall heading into the final. Several other athletes also cleared the required standard or advanced based on their overall rankings to complete the 12-member final field.

Although Royshan and Dhanush Raj were unable to progress, competing at the World Athletics U20 Championships provided both athletes with valuable experience against the strongest junior triple jumpers in the world. The championships continue to serve as an important platform for young athletes to gain exposure at the highest international level and measure themselves against elite global competition.

The result concludes India’s participation in the men’s triple jump at the 2026 edition of the championships. Attention will now shift to the remaining Indian athletes still in action across track and field events, with several medal opportunities and qualification rounds yet to come in Eugene.

While the triple jump campaign ends in the qualification stage, India’s young athletes will look to build on the experience gained and continue their development in future international competitions.

 

India celebrated another successful evening on the athletics track at the Commonwealth Games 2026 as Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran secured the silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the men’s triple jump final.

Praveen produced his best jump of 16.58m, while Selva cleared 16.52m, as Jamaica’s Jordan Scott claimed the gold medal with a winning effort of 16.72m.

The double podium finish takes India’s athletics medal tally to nine at the Games and continues the country’s impressive record in the event. At the previous Commonwealth Games, Indian triple jumpers had also secured two medals, winning gold and silver.

The final was a closely contested affair with momentum swinging throughout the competition.

Selva made the early breakthrough, improving from 16.17m in the second round to move into third place and establish himself firmly in medal contention. After three rounds, he remained third with a best of 16.47m, while Praveen was fifth after managing 16.31m.

The competition turned dramatically in the fourth round when Praveen, the Indian national record holder, unleashed a superb 16.58m effort to surge into the lead. At the same time, Selva appeared to have produced a massive jump of his own, only for it to be ruled a foul by the narrowest of margins—just 1 centimetre.

Both Indians responded strongly in the fifth round. Praveen backed up his leading mark with a 16.40m jump, while Selva produced a brilliant 16.52m to climb back into the medal positions.

However, Jordan Scott delivered when it mattered most, recording 16.72m to move ahead of Praveen and seal the Commonwealth title. Praveen settled for silver, with Selva completing the podium by taking bronze.

The result underlines India’s growing strength in the men’s triple jump, with two athletes once again standing on the Commonwealth Games podium and continuing the nation’s rich recent tradition in the event.

In a gripping showcase of grit, technique, and resilience at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, India’s star long jumper Murali Sreeshankar secured a historic silver medal with a best leap of 8.09 metres. The achievement marks his second consecutive CWG silver following his podium finish at Birmingham 2022, officially cementing him as the first Indian athlete in history to capture two Commonwealth Games medals in the men’s long jump.

​The victory carried profound personal weight for the 27-year-old. Just over two years prior, a severe patellar tendon rupture in early 2024 required major surgery, tragically ruling Sreeshankar out of the Paris Olympics and casting doubts over his athletic future. His performance in Glasgow served as an undeniable, triumphant declaration of his return to world-class form.

​From the opening round, the men’s final was an intense, high-calibre duel among top international talent. Sreeshankar set a strong foundation on his first approach with a clean 8.03m jump, immediately placing himself among the early frontrunners. On his second attempt, the Indian star found perfect acceleration on the runway, hitting the board cleanly to propel himself to 8.09m and take temporary control of the gold medal position.

The contest swung sharply in the fourth round. Jamaica’s former world champion, Tajay Gayle, unleashed a massive 8.15m attempt to snatch the lead. Sreeshankar pushed hard to respond, putting everything into his remaining attempts. Though two red flags for marginal board oversteps curtailed his momentum, his second-round mark of 8.09m held strong against the rest of the field. Local Scottish favourite Stephen Mackenzie clinched bronze with an 8.08m leap, falling just a single centimetre short of Sreeshankar’s mark. Meanwhile, India’s Lokesh Satyanathan put in a commendable performance to finish fifth overall with a jump of 7.97m.

​Sreeshankar’s back-to-back CWG silver medals underscore a remarkable era of consistency for Indian track and field on the global stage. Battling back from career-threatening adversity to deliver an 8m plus effort under high-stakes pressure reinforces Sreeshankar’s standing among India’s elite track and field athletes.

India will be represented by two athletes in the men’s shot put final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 after both Tajinderpal Singh Toor and Samardeep Gill successfully secured qualification in Glasgow.

While Toor comfortably achieved the automatic qualifying standard, Samardeep advanced on the basis of his overall ranking after a strong performance across the two qualification groups.

Toor Clears Automatic Mark

Former Commonwealth champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor booked his place in the final with a throw of 20.14m, surpassing the automatic qualification standard of 20.00m on his second attempt.

The effort saw him finish second overall in the qualification round and ensured a stress-free passage to the medal contest.

Only four athletes managed to achieve the automatic qualifying distance, highlighting the quality required to secure direct qualification.

Samardeep Advances on Ranking

Competing in the other qualification group, Samardeep Gill registered a best throw of 19.95m, narrowly missing the automatic mark by just five centimetres.

However, the throw proved more than enough to earn him a place in the final. Samardeep finished fifth overall across both qualification groups, advancing as one of the next best performers after the automatic qualifiers.

With only four athletes clearing 20.00m, the remaining places in the 12-man final were filled based on the best distances achieved by the rest of the field, allowing Samardeep to progress comfortably.

Qualification Format

The qualification standard for the men’s shot put was set at 20.00m.

Athletes who achieved the automatic mark (Q) advanced directly to the final, while the remaining places in the 12-athlete final were awarded to the next best performers (q) across both qualification groups.

With both Toor and Samardeep advancing, India will have two opportunities to challenge for a podium finish in the final.

Toor brings a wealth of international experience and has consistently been one of Asia’s leading shot putters, while Samardeep arrives in the final after demonstrating impressive consistency to secure qualification despite narrowly missing the automatic standard.

The presence of two Indian finalists strengthens the country’s medal prospects as the men’s shot put final promises to be one of the standout field events of the Commonwealth Games athletics programme.

India’s Pooja saw her campaign in the women’s high jump final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 come to an end after failing to clear 1.82m in difficult weather conditions in Glasgow.

Competing in persistent rain, strong winds and chilly temperatures, the 19-year-old produced a determined display to negotiate the opening heights. She cleared 1.72m comfortably before going over 1.77m on her second attempt, keeping herself in contention despite the challenging conditions.

However, 1.82m proved elusive, ending her competition on a night when the weather tested every athlete in the field.

The progression of heights in the final was:
1.72m, 1.77m, 1.82m, 1.87m, 1.90m, 1.93m, 1.96m, 1.99m and 2.02m.

The wet and windy conditions made the competition particularly demanding. Between attempts, Pooja could be seen immediately putting on her cap and warm clothing to prevent her muscles from cooling down before her next jump.

She was assisted throughout the competition by Yoandri Betanzos, the World Championships triple jump silver medallist and JSW’s foreign jumps expert, who worked closely with her during the final.

At just 19 years old, Pooja was the youngest competitor in the women’s high jump final, gaining valuable experience on one of the biggest stages in international athletics.

She arrived in Glasgow after a breakthrough season in which she rewrote the Indian record books, clearing 1.93m to set a new national record and establish herself among Asia’s leading high jumpers.

Her achievements over the past year include:

The consistent performances have underlined her reputation as one of India’s brightest young athletics talents.

Eugene Next

There is little time to reflect on her Commonwealth Games outing.

Pooja will now travel directly to Eugene, USA, where she will represent India at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2026. After a remarkable season highlighted by her national record of 1.93m, she will look to carry that form onto the global junior stage.

Although the Glasgow final did not produce the result she had hoped for, the experience of competing against senior international opposition in difficult conditions adds another important chapter to the development of one of India’s most promising field athletes.

 

By Sundeep Misra

At 2.25 metres, two jumps binned, it seemed curtains for Sarvesh Kushare. Up to that point, every mark had been cleared in a single, fluid rush of air. Then came the third attempt. Kushare sailed, the bar trembled on its pegs, and the few diehard Indian fans suffocated on their own breath. Then, a collective exhale – the bar held. ​The bar moved to 2.28m.

Three men remained: a Brit, a Jamaican, and an Indian. Decades ago, long before the Commonwealth found its modern sporting identity, the podium hierarchy would have been pre-written. Not this time. England’s Kimani Jack faded after two misses, settling for bronze. Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford and Kushare both hit a wall at 2.28m, failing to clear.

Sarvesh had the final jump of the competition, but the gold slipped through his fingers. It came down to the painful arithmetic of countback: Beckford had cleared 2.25m on his first try, Sarvesh on his third. That single aberration, call it an error, cost him the top step. ​Silver, though, was a triumph and the story behind it ran deeper than the result sheet. ​Earlier in the evening, Tejaswin Shankar (TJ) had withdrawn from the event leaving open the tantalizing question of what a fully fit TJ might have achieved alongside him. But instead of retreating to the warm-up track or the quiet of the athlete’s lounge, TJ stayed.

He sat on the athlete’s bench at the edge of the apron, refusing to leave Kushare’s side. ​Between every run-up, as the stadium light flickered and the cold evening breeze swirled across the pit, the two exchanged tips. TJ wasn’t just offering empty encouragement; the former national record holder was watching and dissecting the jumps. Stride adjustments, angle of Sarvesh’s plant foot would have been scanned and corrections made. High jump is a solitary discipline; one athlete, a crossbar, and the sky.

TJ and Sarvesh made it a team event. Silver was secured not just on pure adrenaline but on a shared brotherhood forged under the floodlights.

For more visit Commonwealth Games 2026

There are medals that are won on the field. And then there are moments that remind us why sport means so much beyond the podium.

Moments after winning India’s silver medal in the men’s high jump at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, Sarvesh Kushare wasn’t talking about his career-best performance or how narrowly he had missed out on gold.

Instead, he spoke about a teammate.

“Tejaswin supported me a lot today.”

Kushare had just cleared 2.25m, matching Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford, only to lose the gold on countback after requiring three attempts at the height. It was the finest Commonwealth Games performance of his career.

Yet his first instinct was to thank Tejaswin Shankar.

Earlier in the evening, Shankar’s own campaign had ended in heartbreak.

The defending Commonwealth bronze medallist was unable to clear his opening height of 2.05m and withdrew from the competition. It was a painful exit for one of India’s most accomplished high jumpers, who later admitted the disappointment still hurt.

“It’s one of those things that really stings.”

The emotion was evident as he spoke to the media. Few understand better than elite athletes how years of preparation can unravel in a matter of minutes.

But rather than retreat after his own disappointment, Shankar chose to stay.

He remained by the high jump pit for the rest of the competition, cheering every successful attempt by his Indian teammates. Every clearance by Sarvesh Kushare and Aadarsh Ram was met with encouragement from a teammate who, despite seeing his own medal hopes disappear, never stopped believing in theirs.

That support did not go unnoticed.

When Sarvesh stood on the podium with a Commonwealth silver medal around his neck, he made sure the world knew who had helped him get there.

It was a reminder that athletics is often portrayed as an individual sport, but behind every athlete is a network of coaches, family and teammates who celebrate every success and shoulder every disappointment together.

Shankar’s Commonwealth Games journey is not over. He is set to return to competition when the decathlon begins on 30 July, carrying with him not just the disappointment of the high jump, but also the admiration of teammates who witnessed his character in defeat.

For Sarvesh, the silver medal will always be remembered as the night he came within a countback of Commonwealth gold.

For many watching, it will also be remembered as the night one Indian athlete’s heartbreak became another Indian athlete’s strength.

India’s Aadarsh Ram produced a creditable performance to finish fifth in the men’s high jump final at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, clearing a best height of 2.15m.

Competing in his first Commonwealth Games final, the Indian high jumper made a confident start to the competition, clearing 2.10m at the first attempt before successfully negotiating 2.15m, again on his first try.

The bar was then raised to 2.20m, where Aadarsh fought hard but was unable to clear the height despite three determined attempts, bringing his campaign to an end.

His best clearance of 2.15m was enough to secure fifth place in a high-quality field that featured some of the Commonwealth’s top jumpers.

The performance capped an encouraging outing for the young Indian, who held his own on one of the biggest stages in the sport and gained valuable experience at the elite level.

India enjoyed a memorable evening in the men’s high jump, with Sarvesh Kushare claiming the silver medal after clearing 2.25m, while Aadarsh’s top-five finish underlined the growing depth in Indian high jumping.

Although he narrowly missed out on the podium, Aadarsh leaves Glasgow with a Commonwealth Games final appearance and another important step forward in his international career.

So close to gold. So proud in silver.

India’s Sarvesh Kushare produced the performance of his career to win the silver medal in the men’s high jump at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, clearing 2.25m to stand on the Commonwealth podium for the first time.

In a gripping contest, Kushare matched Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford clearance for clearance, with both athletes successfully negotiating 2.25m. The gold medal, however, was decided not by height, but by the narrowest of margins—the countback rule.

Beckford cleared 2.25m on his first attempt, while Kushare needed all three attempts to get over the bar. With both athletes failing at the next height, that single difference proved decisive, handing the Jamaican the gold and leaving the Indian with silver.

Final Standings
🥇 Romaine Beckford (Jamaica) – 2.25m
🥈 Sarvesh Kushare (India) – 2.25m
🥉 Kimani Jack (England) – 2.20m

For Kushare, though, this was a performance that announced India’s growing stature in the high jump. The national record holder refused to be overawed by the occasion, matching one of the world’s best jumpers and forcing the competition to be settled on countback.

The silver medal is richly deserved reward for years of perseverance and consistency. On a night when just one first-time clearance separated gold from silver, Sarvesh proved he belongs among the Commonwealth’s elite.

It may not have been the colour he dreamed of, but the way he fought for every centimetre made this one of India’s standout performances of the Games.