Tejaswin Shankar Sets New Decathlon Record in Poland
In an impressive feat, Tejaswin Shankar set a new national record in the decathlon at the Wieslaw Czapiewski Memorial in Poland on Sunday, July 27. With a remarkable total of 7826 points, he became the first Indian athlete to surpass the 7800-point mark in this challenging ten-event competition, finishing fourth overall.
Shankar’s performance in the final event, the 1500m race, was particularly notable as he achieved a personal best time of 4:31.80. This achievement broke his previous record of 7666 points, which he set during the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
On the first day of the competition, the 26-year-old athlete led the standings with 4292 points, starting strong with a personal best of 11.02 seconds in the 100m race, the opening event. He continued to impress with a season-best jump of 7.57m in the long jump, just a close five centimeters shy of his personal best of 7.62m, established earlier this year. Although he managed a throw of 12.62m in shot put, it was not as strong as his season best, but he cleared 2.18m in the high jump.
Tejaswin Shankar has made remarkable progress as an Indian athlete. At the 2023 Asian Games, he won a silver medal with his previous record score of 7666 points, finishing closely behind China’s Qihao Sun.
A Glimpse into Tejaswin Shankar’s Journey
Tejaswin was born and raised in Delhi, where his journey in athletics began in school when he transitioned from cricket to high jump. He quickly showcased his talent, winning several medals in inter-school competitions.
In 2017, he received a four-year athletics scholarship to Kansas State University to study business administration. Among his career highlights is a gold medal at the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games, where he set a Games record of 2.14 meters in high jump. He also claimed a silver medal at the 2016 South Asian Games. Despite facing challenges such as a groin injury and a herniated disc, Shankar showed great resilience, bouncing back to win a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham—marking India’s first-ever high jump medal at that event.
Shankar’s achievements reflect his dedication and skill, making him a significant figure in Indian athletics.
