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.