Murali Sreeshankar clinches silver in long jump at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, exorcises ghosts of the past that have been haunting him from the Tokyo Olympics
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Murali Sreeshankar
From the bucolic settings of Palakkad, in Kerala, to the highs of winning a silver medal in long jump at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, it has been one hell of a journey for Murali Sreeshankar.
As the 23-year-old registered cleared 8.08 meters late on Thursday, there was huge interest among the audience. This young man’s talent and commitment has never been in doubt. In fact, there were a few — knowledgeable and discerning — who were hoping for Murali Sreeshankar to do exceedingly well in Eugene, Oregon, recently at the World Championship in the United States of America.
It is well known, now, to all, how the World Championship will be remembered for a long time, thanks to Neeraj Chopra winning a silver medal in javelin. An injury ruled Neeraj out of the Commonwealth Games, so it was left to the other talented bunch to come out firing.
Having watched Tejaswin Shankar clinch bronze in high jump less than 24 hours earlier, for Murali Sreeshankar to show intent and intensity in a strong field was proof of his talent. In the World Championship in Eugene, he had finished seventh, clearing 7.96 meters.
The difference between 7.96 and 8.08 metres may seem small for the common man. Yet, to peak at two huge events in a short time span gap is a big deal. After all, in the cycle of any sport, athletes cannot maintain the highest level of performance forever. Humans need to train and hit the top button in patches. In a way, it is good the Asian Games this year have been postponed. Or, we Indians would have started expecting medals from our athletes in every event they compete in.
Track and field is highly physical and mental. You cannot be like a computer or a robot, maximizing your efforts without a break. Even computers can “hang” or break down. Well, Murali Sreeshankar chose the best stage to come good, a feat which has been watched by thousands lucky enough to be inside the arena and those catching it live on television from London to New Delhi.
To be sure, the latest silver medallist is blessed with the right genes. His father S.Murali is a former triple jumper and his mother K.S.Bijimol was a middle distance runner. Blessed with parents who encouraged the boy, Murali Sreeshankar began as a runner in the under-10 category. It was only when he was around 13 he made the transition from running to long jump.
When you are a young athlete, almost everything comes naturally, running, jumps, and even throws. Yet, to find out where the athlete has the best chance and right aptitude can be spotted only by coaches. In this young man’s case, there has been criticism his father was his coach. Yet, it’s the father who was training him for a long time.
Murali Sreeshankar wins historic medal
One cannot take away anything from S.Murali for having encouraged the son in track and field. In fact, that is the story in many households in Kerala, which has produced an array of stars in athletics, best exemplified by sprint queen PT Usha.
Each athlete has his or he role model. Murali Sreeshankar was mesmerized by Usain Bolt’s electrifying runs at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. To top it, he also became a huge fan of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, who was tragically killed in a copter crash in the United States in January 2020.
Since the time Murali Sreeshankar got drafted into the national camp, he has been spending most of his time in the SAI campus in Kengeri, on the outskirts of Bengaluru. This is one of the most elite centers of the SAI where track and field, as well as the hockey stars, train during national camps.
Finishing seventh in the World Athletics Indoor Championship and then continuing to keep working hard has seen him reach this level of 8.08 metres. He is capable of registering even 8.20 meters but when you are competing in a competition as big as the Commonwealth Games, what matters is how you adjust to the conditions. It’s the medal which counts in the end.
Before this, a certain Suresh Babu won bronze in long jump at the Commonwealth Games in 1978 in Edmonton, Canada. His effort at that time was 7.94 meters.
Also Read: CWG 2022 Squash: Saurav Ghosal wins India’s first ever singles medal; Paul Coll gets gold
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