Selva Prabhu Misses Gold Due to Food Poisoning at Commonwealth Games
Indian triple jumper Selva Prabhu, who recently secured a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, expressed disappointment over missing out on the gold. He believes that food poisoning hindered his performance, despite being close to his personal record.
Selva achieved a best jump of 16.52 meters, earning him third place. He finished behind fellow Indian athlete Praveen Chithravel, who jumped 16.58 meters, and Scotland’s Jordon Scott, who took gold with a jump of 16.72 meters.
After returning from Glasgow, Selva disclosed that he suffered from food poisoning during the competition but pushed himself to participate regardless. “I really wanted that gold. It was tough to compete while feeling ill. But I’m mentally strong, so I decided to give it my all,” he shared with PTI.
The athlete from Tamil Nadu believes that his illness impacted his ability to perform well. With a personal best of 17.05 meters, he felt he could have easily surpassed the winning jump if he had been healthy. “Next time, I just want to stay fit. I know I can compete better. It’s all about that one day, and I need to be in top shape,” he stated.
Looking towards the future, Selva is not getting ahead of himself with thoughts of the upcoming 2026 Asian Games. He emphasized that his immediate priority is qualifying for the event. “I take it day by day. Each performance matters, and it’s important to focus on qualification first,” he remarked.
Recently, Selva placed third at the National Inter-State Championships with a jump of 16.79 meters, exceeding the Asian Games qualification mark of 16.28 meters. However, he acknowledged that only two athletes can represent India in each event, and his selection will depend on the Athletics Federation of India’s final decision, which is still pending.
