Shankar sets national record
HIGH JUMP 17-year-old Delhi boy earns praise from experts after breaking 12-year mark
NEW DELHI: During the Asian Youth Athletics Championships at Doha last year, upcoming jumper Tejaswin Shankar got a pat from Qatar’s Olympic bronze medallist, Mutaz Essa Barshim. “Incredible talent,” Barshim had said of the Indian jumper who finished third.
On Thursday, Shankar, 17, got a compliment from former national record holder, Nallusamy Annavi, a prominent jumper in the 1980s.
After Shankar etched his name in the record books, Annavi said he had a bright future. The Delhi lad set a national mark of 2.26m on the opening day junior national meet in Coimbatore. He broke the 12-year mark of 2.25m set by Harishankar Roy of Bengal during the All Asian Stars Athletics meet at Singapore in 2004.
Annavi was 19 when he broke the national mark of 2.12m in 1984. Roy’s story was similar, as he set an Indian record at 18 by winning silver during a continental meet in Singapore.
Shankar tried to improve the national mark but failed to clear 2.28m and 2.30m.
Annavi said Shankar had the ability to cross the 2.30m mark. “It’s a matter of time, and with good coaching he will be clearing 2.30m and 2.35m,” he added.
The 6’4” lad had a passion for cricket, but switched to athletics. Armed with exceptional jumping skills, Shankar soon made a mark in the age-group categories.
Last year, he tasted success at the global level, winning bronze at the Asian Youth meet and gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games.
After winning silver at the SAF Games in Guwahati, summer was spent in California with Jamie Nieto, a two-time Olympian, fine-tuning skills.
In September, during the senior national meet in Lucknow, Shankar claimed gold with 2.22m, proving he was in form.
Shankar’s next target is the Asian Championships on the home soil in May.