Indian athlete Tejaswin Shankar created history as he bagged the bronze medal in the men's high jump final with the mark of 2.22m at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham on Wednesday. Shankar was levelled with Bahamas' former world and CWG champion Donald Thomas.
Still, the Indian athlete won the country's first medal in the men's high jump event as he made lesser fouls. Shankar cleared 2.22m to finish third on countback. Similarly, Donald Thomas of Bahamas and England's Joel Clarke-Khan also matched the 2.22m mark but they took more than one attempt whereas Shankar successfully completed his jump on a single try.
The 23-year-old national champion could not clear the 2.25m mark in two attempts. Then he went for the 2.28m in his third and final attempt to aim for a silver but failed. Before Tejaswin Shankar, Bhim Singh was the best chance India had in the men's high jump in CWG as he cleared 2.06m in the 1970 edition in Edinburgh.
Before the 2022 CWG, Tejaswin Shankar achieved his season-best of 2.27m in the World Athletics Championships in Eugene in June and could have won the gold in Birmingham if he had matched that height.
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi congratulated Tejaswin Shankar for winning the country's first medal in the men's high jump event. "Tejaswin Shankar creates history. He wins our first high jump medal in the CWG. Congratulations to him for winning the Bronze medal. Proud of his efforts. Best wishes for his future endeavours. May he keep attaining success," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.
