Sarvesh Makes History With CWG Silver, While Injured Tejaswin Plays an Unforgettable Role
Tejaswin Shankar’s Commonwealth Games final ended after a single jump. His influence, however, lasted until the very end.
The Indian high jumper, who won bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, was initially listed as Did Not Start (DNS) for Monday night’s men’s high jump final in Glasgow. But he eventually took his place alongside the finalists, determined to compete despite discomfort.
His campaign lasted only one attempt.
Tejaswin failed to clear the opening height of 2.05m after aggravating a knee injury during take-off. He limped off the mat and later revealed that a flare-up of patellar tendinitis, commonly known as jumper’s knee, had forced him to withdraw.
While his medal hopes ended there, his evening did not.
With three Indians in the final—Sarvesh Kushare, Aadarsh Ram Jothi Shankar and Tejaswin—the injured athlete chose to remain beside the pit instead of heading back indoors. Throughout the competition, he watched every jump, discussed techniques with his teammates and offered tactical advice between attempts.
At one stage, after Sarvesh failed twice at 2.25m, Tejaswin suggested skipping the height altogether and conserving energy for 2.28m, believing a first-time clearance there could secure gold.
Sarvesh, however, backed himself.
“No, no, I will clear 2.25m,” he replied before doing exactly that on his third and final attempt.
Tejaswin later downplayed his role, insisting he had merely shared his thoughts. But his presence gave India’s remaining jumpers an experienced voice at a time when every attempt carried enormous pressure.
Historic Silver for Sarvesh
The competition eventually came down to Sarvesh and Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford. Both athletes cleared 2.25m before failing at 2.28m, forcing the title to be decided on countback.
Beckford claimed gold after recording fewer misses earlier in the competition, while Sarvesh settled for silver.
It was still a landmark achievement.
The medal made Sarvesh the first Indian man to win a Commonwealth Games silver medal in the high jump, improving on India’s previous best of bronze.
India’s third finalist, Aadarsh Ram Jothi Shankar, finished fifth with a best clearance of 2.15m, while England’s Jack Kimani secured bronze.
- A Year to Remember
- Sarvesh arrived in Glasgow in the form of his life.
Earlier this month, he became the first Indian to clear 2.30m, breaking the national record that had belonged to Tejaswin for eight years. He also finished third at the Monaco Diamond League, becoming only the fourth Indian athlete to stand on a Diamond League podium.
The achievement is the latest chapter in a remarkable journey that began in Devargaon, a small village in Maharashtra’s Nashik district. With no professional facilities available, Sarvesh trained on improvised landing pits filled with corn husks, cotton and farm waste. He did not compete at the national level until he was nearly 20, making his rise to the international podium all the more remarkable.
- Tejaswin’s Heartbreak
- For Tejaswin, Glasgow ended in frustration.
“I really believed I could win a medal here. But to not do that, to not even make the first jump, stings,” he said after the competition.
Explaining the injury, he added:
“It is just overuse of patellar tendinitis. That’s why it’s called the jumper’s knee.”
The Asian Games decathlon silver medallist said he still believes he is in the best shape of his career but admitted his participation in the decathlon later this week is now uncertain.
Although he left the competition early, he never stopped being part of it.
Long after his own challenge had ended, Tejaswin remained by the runway, encouraging teammates, discussing tactics and helping them navigate the biggest moments of the final.
Sarvesh created history with India’s first Commonwealth Games men’s high jump silver.
Along the way, he had an injured teammate ensuring he never had to face the pressure alone.
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