Can Sreeshankar’s return shake Indian lengthy leap out of its slumber?

When M. Sreeshankar suffered a patellar tendon rupture in April final 12 months, many feared that it might end his glowing lengthy leap profession. Even the docs within the nation weren’t optimistic.

“Virtually each physician in India, in all probability one of the best docs, mentioned, ‘We’ll make you in such a manner that you simply’ll stroll once more’. The harm was that unhealthy. My tendon received lower utterly and part of a bone was additionally chipped off,” the Asian Video games silver medallist informed The Hindu.

On the mend

Sreeshankar flew to Doha for knee surgical procedure on the Aspetar hospital, the place a number of the world’s finest athletes, together with Brazilian footballers, have been handled.

“For me, getting again to 2 toes was an enormous factor. Except you’re robust sufficient, you can’t come out from this type of harm. It was simply work, work and work. Daily, my focus was getting higher by 1%.”

The harm just some months earlier than the 2024 Paris Olympics shattered him.

“Think about, we had been aiming for an Olympic medal, instantly this occurs and my profession was nearly achieved. It was an enormous shock for me. However I knew I’d come again. You keep in mind 2018 once I had appendicitis and was in a essential situation simply earlier than the Commonwealth Video games? 

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“I believed if I get the surgical procedure okay, then the comeback could be my factor. I used to be fairly assured about that.”

Sreeshankar is now again and raring to go. After a 15-month break, the 26-year-old returns to competitors on the Indian Open in Pune on Saturday (July 12), as he makes an attempt to ebook a ticket for September’s World Championships in Tokyo by means of automated qualification (8.27m, deadline Aug. 24) or by means of the World rankings route.

The plan is to compete in Portugal on July 19, in Almaty (Kazakhstan), within the Indian Open World Athletics Continental Tour occasion (Bhubaneswar, August 10) and within the Inter-State Nationals in Chennai (from Aug. 20).

One hopes his return wakes the occasion up within the nation. For, Indian lengthy leap seems to have gone right into a deep slumber in Sreeshankar’s absence.

For a interval in 2023, Jeswin Aldrin led the world together with his 8.42m, having damaged Sreeshankar’s Nationwide document on the Indian Open Jumps Competitors at his then JSW coaching base at Ballari in March. Three months later, Sreeshankar closed in with an 8.41m on the Bhubaneswar Inter-State Nationals. At one level, Jeswin and Sreeshankar had been No. 1 and a pair of in World Athletics’ lengthy leap record, finally ending the 12 months as No. 3 and 4.

Think about Indians being on prime of the world in a glamorous occasion just like the lengthy leap which was dominated by legends Jesse Owens, Bob Beamon, Mike Powell and Carl Lewis prior to now! Throughout that part in 2023, it regarded as if Sreeshankar had the potential to do what Neeraj Chopra was doing within the javelin throw. Many younger athletes had been impressed by that dream run.  

Aside from successful silver on the Hangzhou Asian Video games (8.19m) and the Bangkok Asian Championships (8.37), Sreeshankar completed within the top-three in a Diamond League meet (8.09) — solely the third Indian then, after discus thrower Vikas Gowda and Neeraj, to realize that distinction — and in addition received gold in meets in Greece and the USA.

Thrilling rivalry

Jeswin, whose thrilling rivalry with Sreeshankar raised the profile of the game at dwelling, additionally had a improbable 2023. He entered the Budapest Worlds remaining with 8m and took gold in a Swiss meet (8.22) though he might end solely eighth within the Asian Video games (7.76) that 12 months.

4 Indians crossed 8m in worldwide or nationwide competitions in 2023. If one had been so as to add P. David and V.Ok. Elakkiyadasan, who went previous that landmark within the Tamil Nadu State Championships, six completed the feat that season.

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However with Sreeshankar’s injury-break, the golden days abruptly got here to a halt. Jeswin has not touched 8m since then. Just one Indian — Aditya Kumar (8.01, Indian GP, Bengaluru) — crossed 8m in 2024; no one has this 12 months.

Indian lengthy leap hit one other low this 12 months. The Athletics Federation of India didn’t ship a single jumper to the Asian Championships as a result of none achieved the AFI’s qualification customary (8.07m). 

Jeswin (7.83m) has slipped to seventh on the Indian record this 12 months and will solely handle a disappointing 7.11m in a foul-ridden sequence in Italy earlier this week though it fetched him the second spot. David is the season chief with 7.94. However Sreeshankar, who’s supported by JSW, believes his return might revive the game.

“After I come again, Jeswin can even be again and leaping good…mechanically, the occasion’s customary will go up,” mentioned Sreeshankar, who’s coached by his father S. Murali, a former triple leap worldwide.

Jeswin, now in Europe for competitions, additionally believes he might be again to his 8m days quickly. “My final couple of 8m jumps had been overseas. It’s nearly two years since I did 8m, so I’m wanting ahead to leaping far. I can leap 8m once more, I do know it’s there,” mentioned the 23-year-old.

Jeswin, now with the Reliance Basis, skilled for a couple of months within the USA beneath coach Rana Reider — who has coached double Olympic champion triple jumper Christian Taylor — and feels he has gained a lot from the expertise.

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“My velocity on the runway has improved rather a lot, my power too. I do know I’m able to leaping very far,” mentioned Jeswin. “I’m specializing in the World College Video games [in Germany later this month] and the Worlds. I’m assured of doing the massive jumps later this 12 months.”

Sreeshankar believes an Indian will leap 8m this 12 months. “I hope there might be extra as a result of now I’m coaching in Thiruvananthapuram and we have already got two 7.90m jumpers, Shahnavaz and Sunny Kumar, there,” he mentioned. “From 7.90 to 8m isn’t an enormous factor. I want extra jumpers cross 8m this season. It’s much more vital with the Asian Video games developing subsequent 12 months.”

Eight over 8

Will there be a pleasant group leaping over 8m subsequent 12 months, maybe a repeat of 2023? “100%. Subsequent 12 months, I really feel we’ll have eight jumpers over 8m,” mentioned Sreeshankar.

When he first tried the lengthy leap after the surgical procedure, with a cautious three-step strategy in late-February, he managed 3m. Now — after working with South African strength-and-conditioning coach Dr. Wayne Lombard, who had helped the Indian hockey crew on the Olympics — Sreeshankar feels match and tremendous.

“I really feel I’ve the jumps… bodily, I really feel I’m higher than ever earlier than. Solely factor, I haven’t achieved this shortly,” mentioned Sreeshankar. “It’s simply that I’ve to be affected person, kickstart the season, drift and the whole lot will fall in place.”