India’s rising long jump talent Shahnavaz delivered a sensational performance at the Junior Federation Cup, registering a massive 8.23m to win gold and rewrite the record books.
The effort saw him break the previous U-20 national record of 8.20m, held by Murali Sreeshankar since 2018. But beyond the record, the magnitude of the jump stands out — it is the best mark by any Indian athlete this season, across both junior and senior categories.
Shahnavaz’s leap has also propelled him to the top of the Asian U-20 rankings, while placing him second in the world in the U-20 category for 2026. The performance comfortably breached the qualification standards for both the Asian and World U-20 Championships.
Remarkably, the 8.23m effort also exceeds the entry marks for major senior events like the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, underlining the elite level at which he is already competing.