CWG 2022: Tejaswin Shankar, Saurav Ghosal create history in Birmingham

A last-minute addition to the athletics team, Tejaswin Shankar on Wednesday (August 3) became the first Indian to win a men’s high jump medal in the Commonwealth Games as he clinched a bronze in the final in Birmingham.

The national record holder cleared 2.22m to finish third on countback. Donald Thomas of Bahamas and England’s Joel Clarke-Khan also cleared 2.22m but they needed more than one attempt to do it while Shankar was successful in a single try.

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In the women’s shot put final, Manpreet Kaur finished 12th and last with a disappointing best throw of 15.69m.

The 23-year-old Shankar could not soar over 2.25m in two attempts. He then went for 2.28m in his third and final attempt in a bid to win a silver but failed.

Before Shankar, the best position an Indian had achieved in men’s high jump in CWG was by Bhim Singh who cleared 2.06m in the 1970 edition in Edinburgh.

“I had a long (US) collegiate season and started jumping in January but getting a bronze here is like a dream come true and I’m just happy to take something back home with me,” an elated Shankar said.

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Shankar had finished sixth in the 2018 Gold Coast edition with the best jump of 2.24m.

Shankar, who was added to the Indian athletics squad on the orders of the Delhi High Court, has a season’s best of 2.27m and a personal best of 2.29m.

Hamish Kerr of New Zealand won the gold while Australias Brandon Starc clinched the silver. Both cleared 2.25m but could not soar over 2.28m but the Kiwi won the gold on countback.

Bronze for Ghosal

Meanwhile, breaking a long-standing jinx, Saurav Ghosal on Wednesday claimed India’s first-ever singles medal in squash – a bronze – at the Commonwealth Games.

World No. 15 Ghosal dominated the contest against England’s James Willstrop from beginning to end, winning 11-6 11-1 11-4 in the bronze play-off.

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It was Ghosal’s second CWG medal, having won a mixed doubles silver with Dipika Pallikal in the 2018 Gold Coast edition.

Ghosal, playing his fourth CWG, broke into tears after the play-off against the former world number one. The medal meant the world to him and it came in probably his last appearance at CWG.

“I’m very very happy, it’s a historic day for Indian squash. To be able to do this against a player of this calibre is very special. I’m happy that after all these years I have been able to win this,” Ghosal said.

“This was one – a CWG singles medal – that was missing from my collection and I have played three CWGs before and to be able to pull through in my fourth attempt is even more special. I had to wait for so long,” he added.