On the fourth day of the Asian Athletics Championships 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand (Saturday, 15 July), the 24-year-old Murali Sreeshankar clinched the silver medal in the men’s long jump. By managing well above the men’s long jump entry standard, Sreeshankar also booked his spot for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Yu Tang-Lin of Chinese Taipei won the gold medal in the men’s long jump event in the Asian Athletics Championships 2023 with his best jump of the day of 8.40m. It is also the new championship record after surpassing the previous 8.33m by Saudi Arabia’s Hussein Taher Al-Sabee (in 2000).
In his final attempt, Sreeshankar had a great jump with 8.37m to secure the silver medal but very closely missed the gold medal. While his second attempt was recorded as a failure, his other four attempts in that event were 8.10m, 8.12m, 8.11m and 8.13m, respectively. Chinese Zhang Mingkun secured the bronze medal with his best jump of 8.08m.
To qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics in the men’s long jump event, the entry standard has been set 8.27m. Sreeshankar comfortably crossed that mark in his last attempt in the Asian Athletics Championships 2023 to secure his place in the next summer Olympics.
Who is Murali Sreeshankar?
The four-time National Championships winner Murali Sreeshankar clinched a silver medal (8.08m) in the men’s long jump during the Commonwealth Games 2022. He was the first Indian male long jumper to win a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games history.
Before Jeswin Aldrin set up a new national record with 8.42m during the Indian Open Jumps Competition in March 2023, Sreeshankar held three consecutive national records in the men’s long jump (8.36m, 8.26m and 8.20m).
In the Asian U20 Championships 2018, Sreeshankar won the bronze medal (7.47m).
