Star long jumper Murali Sreeshankar.
| Photo Credit: Ritu Raj Konwar
Star long jumper Murali Sreeshankar is in roaring form with 8m-plus efforts in every outing this season but instead of elation, all he feels is gratitude for being able to compete again after a career-threatening injury in 2024.Sreeshankar suffered a severe knee injury— a ruptured patellar tendon— in April 2024 and underwent a surgery for it. The breakdown ruled him out of the entire season that year, including his highly anticipated participation at the Paris Olympics.On Sunday (June 28, 2026), he produced a top-class performance of 8.38m to clinch the gold at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships here. It was his second career-best effort, and just 3cm shy of his lifetime best of 8.41m, which he had recorded in 2023. His jump was the best among Asians so far in the season and seventh best in the world."This was my 60th jump above 8m in my career. So, I have been consistent all through. It's really special, more so after I have been told that I won't be able to jump again. I am always grateful for whatever I am doing. I am not taking anything for granted," Sreeshankar said after booking a berth in the Asian Games to be held in Japan come September-October.He is also participating in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2."Irrespective of the performance, I am just grateful to be competing and doing what I love the most, especially after the career-threatening injury in 2024, and with the ups and downs in my career."...life teaches you a lot of lessons. I never expected that I will come back (from the injury) and jump this far consistently, when I first broke my knee and when I was lying (at hospital) for MRI." He says his operated knee is still not 100% and he needs to manage a few aspects of his routine."If you see both my knees, one is big, swollen, the other is not as big. And there are three ankle screws here. I need to ice it regularly. I need to do soft tissue massage. I need to work on my mechanics."It's like every time you have to make sure that there is something there. And you have to work upon it. So that's the main challenge with my knee. But I have gotten used to the new kind of training schedules and programmes." Sreeshankar said renowned South African strength and conditioning coach Wayne Lombard, who has worked with Indian hockey players in the past, including the women's team, has done wonders for him also."I have my dad (who is his coach) as well as Wayne Lombard. So he (Lombard) really turned things around for me. And I must say that he is the secret ingredient for the success of a lot of athletes."But he works in the background. Probably one of the best brains when it comes to track and field sport," said Sreeshankar who joined Reliance Foundation in November 2025.'Could have broken national record'Sreeshankar said after he crossed the 8m mark in his first attempt, the national record of 8.42m, which is held by Jeswin Aldrin, was on his mind, though eventually he missed it by 4cm."(High) humidity makes my body move really well. But on the other hand, the track was wet (because of rain) and that made the approach very confusing. The wind was rotating, sometimes from behind, sometimes from the front. So, I had to manage accordingly. But I got one jump and I am happy with 8.38m."I really need to work on the next couple of weeks. Commonwealth Games is going to be entirely opposite conditions. It will be cold, rainy and windy. I just need to manage my warm-ups, need to adjust with the conditions there (Glasgow)." Asked about the Asian Games, he said, "It's in Nagoya in September. It will be really, really hot.""Asian Games is bigger than Olympics in our country. Because we have been winning a lot of medals. And that's one way which Indian athletes make their life. And that's also one reason why the performance is going higher and higher." Published - June 29, 2026 12:26 pm IST
