NEW DELHI: Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, who won silver at the Commonwealth Games, showcased his exceptional skills once again by clinching the gold medal with a season's best performance of 8.18m at the International Jumping Meeting held in Kallithea, near Greece's capital, on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old Sreeshankar successfully defended the gold title he had claimed last year, delivering his best jump of 8.18m on his sixth and final attempt. This marked his sixth career-best performance in long jump. In the previous edition, he had secured gold with a jump of 8.31m.
Sreeshankar's series of jumps included distances of 7.94m, 8.17m, 8.11m, 8.04m, 8.01m, and the winning jump of 8.18m. However, he narrowly missed meeting the qualifying standard of 8.25m set for the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
This victory marked Sreeshankar's second international gold of the season. He had previously clinched the top spot at the MVA High Performance Meet in Chula Vista, USA, with a wind-assisted jump of 8.29m on April 30. Although that jump wasn't eligible for record purposes, it highlighted his exceptional form.
Sreeshankar holds a personal best of 8.36m, which he achieved last year, showcasing his consistency and skill in the long jump event.
Jeswin Aldrin, the national record holder with a jump of 8.42m set in March, secured the second position with his best jump of 7.85m. Aldrin's series included jumps of 7.81m, 7.85m, 7.74m, 7.74m, 7.79m, and a foul.
Jalen Rucker of Australia finished in third place, recording a best jump of 7.80m in the competition.
(With inputs from PTI)
