It ain’t over until it’s over. It is likely one of the oldest sporting cliches. On the very finish of the Indian Open World Athletics Continental Tour occasion in Bhubaneswar on Sunday, Sreeshankar Murali introduced that sentiment to life in males’s lengthy soar, as he took an enormous leap and landed with 8.13m from takeoff, recording his personal season finest and the highest try by any Indian this 12 months within the self-discipline.
On a night the place Indian performances didn’t fairly get the juices flowing, Sreeshankar supplied a remaining flourish in fashion.
“That is my fortunate floor. I crossed my 8m mark right here after which achieved my private better of 8.41m on the identical floor in the course of the 2023 Federation Cup. I feel that is Bhubaneswar magic, each time I come right here, I do nicely,” Sreeshankar stated after his win.
Till his final soar, it had regarded like Sreeshankar would lose to teenager Shahnavaz Khan, who jumped a brand new private better of 8.04m. However the skilled Indian introduced all his may within the final soar.
Sreeshankar tipped his hat to Shahnavaz for pushing him. “I’m very glad for Shahnavaz additionally, he did above 8 meters. He’s very younger and he has an extended option to go. We practice collectively in Trivandrum, we push one another, battle with one another. And now we have an excellent rapport,” he stated in reward of the teenager who was on the point of pulling off a giant upset.
Whereas the occasion crew had already began wrapping up the logistics, Sreeshankar’s opponents and the gang stayed again for his final soar. “I knew he would do it. His mindset is completely different than others, and I used to be cheering for his final soar,” stated Sunny Kumar, one of many individuals watching on within the lengthy soar.
For a second after the final soar, everybody thought that Sreeshankar may need achieved the World Championships qualification mark. He believed in order nicely, but it surely wasn’t to be. “I feel within the final soar, I took off early. Like manner earlier than the foul board and that’s the reason I gained elevation and misplaced out on distance,” he defined. “Nevertheless, I’m proud of the truth that I used to be constant all through the competitors. I did three jumps above 7.90m and didn’t lose my rhythm.”
Within the final soar!
Sreeshankar jumps 8.13m to win the title on the Indian Open World Continental Tour.
A loopy end to be trustworthy.@IExpressSports pic.twitter.com/lgWw663qDz
— Pritish Raj (@befikramusafir) August 10, 2025
Sreeshankar was appreciative of the gang that stayed until the tip. “It isn’t at all times that we see such a crowd in an Athletics occasion right here. I’m glad to see an enthusiastic crowd and we’d like extra of it,” he added as he continues his good kind after getting back from a career-threatening damage. That damage resulted in him lacking the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Story continues under this advert
Concentrate on Worlds
On his return to motion, Sreeshankar is having a stable season, profitable all 4 tournaments he has featured in. Nevertheless, his return in April signifies that he has had little or no time to qualify for the World Championships. Which is why he has grow to be a globetrotter to play in as many high-ranking tournaments as he can. “It’s a very hectic schedule for me. That is my third nation in ten days and I’ve to journey extra,” he stated with a sheepish smile.
Sreeshankar could have one other likelihood on the Inter-State Athletics Championships this month in Chennai. “I’m glad together with his efficiency, and the perfect factor is that he’s pain-free and his knee is feeling good,” his father Murali stated.
Even in any other case, Sreeshankar just isn’t shedding sleep. “I’m going to provide my finest shot on the qualification, but when it doesn’t occur, I’ll take a break and transfer on to the subsequent season.”
Javelin attracts curiosity
Neeraj Chopra, India’s foremost monitor and area star, was not a part of the occasion. But it surely nonetheless wasn’t a shock that males’s javelin throw drew stable consideration from the followers. There was some thrilling native expertise within the fray, together with India’s quantity 2 Sachin Yadav, Yashvir Singh, Rohit Yadav and the newest entrant to 80m membership, Shivam Lohakare. But it surely was Rumesh Pathirage who surprised a partisan crowd and turned it in his favour together with his theatrics after he broke the Sri Lankan Nationwide File with a throw of 86.50m.
Story continues under this advert
The Sri Lankan duo of Rumesh and Sumedha Ranasinghe ramped up the environment, continuously conversing with one another and involving the gang with each throw. Regardless of throwing simply twice, each completed within the prime three with Sumedha recording 80.65m as his finest throw. When Sri Lanka have been heading for a 1-2, Shivam’s fifth throw elevated the decibel degree as he managed 80.73m and denied the neighbours.
Getting back from an damage, Rohit Yadav regarded in first rate form, ending fourth with 80.35m. Apparently, the rostrum had been organized for not simply the common 1-2-3 spots. There was a further room for fourth-place finishers too.
The Indian Athletics caravan will transfer to Chennai, the place athletes could have one other likelihood to get a crack on the World Athletics qualification from twentieth August.