Everyone wants to win gold at the Asian extravaganza: Sarvesh Kushare
Indian athlete Sarvesh Kushare has set a new national high jump record by clearing 2.31m at the National inter-state athletics meet. His performance was praised by fellow athletes, including Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, as a significant milestone for Indian athletics.
Why it matters
This achievement marks a breakthrough for Indian track and field, signaling increased competitiveness on the international stage.
On June 27 evening, immediately after Sarvesh Kushare ended his four-year quest to better Tejaswin Shankar’s eight-year-old high jump National record of 2.28m at the National inter-state athletics meet at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar by clearing 2.31m, Tejaswin took to his ‘X’ handle to write: “Another mental barrier broken!! 2.30+ was probably the last of the sticky records. 2.34-35 is just a matter of time.”
Worlds and Olympics gold medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra endorsed Tejaswin’s statement, and Sarvesh’s achievement of becoming the first Indian to go past 2.30m, by reposting it.
With very few world-class marks to their name, Indian athletes’ hunger for success is understandable. Perhaps that appetite kept 30-year-old Sarvesh patient in the hunt to surpass the 2.30m barrier. He had missed it by a whisker when he recorded 2.28m at the Federation meet in Ranchi a month ago, before seeing his perseverance rewarded.
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