Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar aims to find rhythm ahead of major competitions | More sports News – Times of India
Sreeshankar’s victory came at the International Jumping Meeting in Kallithea near Athens, a bronze-level competition on the World Athletics Continental Tour, where he recorded a season’s best jump of 8.18m.
Although Sreeshankar narrowly missed this year’s World Athletics Championships qualifying standard of 8.25m, he remains hopeful of securing a spot in the prestigious event scheduled to take place in Budapest this August. Presently ranked 18th in World Athletics’ Road to Budapest, where 36 athletes will compete in the men’s long jump, Sreeshankar is determined to fine-tune his performance.
In a candid admission, Sreeshankar revealed, “I have not been able to execute exactly as we planned (in Greece)… I was not quite able to get into my rhythm. I had to keep my approach more in front (as) I was lacking speed. I have to put in more effort getting into the rhythm.”
The Indian long jumper, who holds a personal best of 8.36m, will test his skills against top athletes from around the world at the upcoming Paris Diamond League on June 9. Expressing his approach to the event, Sreeshankar stated, “So, in the next couple of competitions, I think I’ll be able to get into the rhythm better and go for big jumps as I ease my body and mind into a competitive mode.”
Reflecting on his performance in Greece, Sreeshankar highlighted the challenges faced during the competition. He explained, “Usually during competitions, my approach used to move back by around 30 or 40 centimetres but this time around, it came in front like 20-30 centimetres.” The unexpected headwind further impacted his performance, as the event in Kallithea was the first time they encountered such conditions. Sreeshankar noted that the warm-up sessions the previous day had ideal conditions with a favourable tailwind.
Looking ahead, Sreeshankar discussed the demanding season that awaits him. “This season is pretty challenging because the Asian Games will be happening in the first week of October and the Asian Games qualifiers will take place in the first week of June,” he shared. Balancing his preparations for the World Championships in August and the Asian Championships in July, Sreeshankar emphasised the importance of prioritising events and delivering his best performance at the major competitions.
Coached by his father S Murali, a former South Asian Games medallist in triple jump, Sreeshankar is determined to fine-tune his approach and regain his rhythm as he gears up for the highly competitive season ahead. With his sights set on achieving his goals, the Indian long jumper remains optimistic about his chances of excelling on the global stage.
(With inputs from PTI)
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