Indian triple jumper Selva Prabhu continued his remarkable 2026 season by winning gold in the men’s triple jump at the Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the United States.
Representing Kansas State University, the 21-year-old produced a huge wind-aided jump of 17.19m (+4.6 m/s) to clinch the conference title against a strong collegiate field.
Although the mark will not count for record purposes due to the excessive tailwind, it once again highlighted the rapid rise of one of India’s most exciting young field event athletes.
Selva, who holds India’s U20 national record in triple jump, has been enjoying a breakthrough season on the American collegiate circuit. Earlier this year, he registered a lifetime best of 17.05m — the first legal 17m-plus jump of his career — while winning silver at the NCAA Indoor Championships, widely regarded as one of the toughest collegiate track and field competitions in the world.
The jump placed him among the leading Indian triple jumpers of his generation and strengthened his growing reputation internationally.
Apart from his success in triple jump, Selva has also shown improvement in the long jump this season, raising his personal best to 7.35m and underlining his all-round athletic ability.
The Big 12 Championships feature several of the strongest NCAA athletics programmes in the United States and regularly serve as a pathway for athletes progressing to global competition. For Selva, performing consistently at that level is another encouraging sign ahead of a crucial phase in Indian athletics.