3 days ago
1
Tejaswin Shankar, the National grounds holder successful precocious leap and decathlon, loves to interruption barriers, particularly the tougher ones. When helium ruled the precocious leap country successful India, helium chose to power to the overmuch tougher decathlon and enactment himself done harder tests.
After becoming the archetypal Indian to transverse 8,000 points (8,057) successful decathlon successful the Federation athletics conscionable astatine the Birsa Munda Stadium (Morabadi) successful Ranchi, Tejaswin — an Asian Games metallic medallist successful decathlon and a precocious leap bronze victor astatine the Commonwealth Games — was relieved.
What made it possible
Four idiosyncratic bests (in 100m, agelong jump, 400m and 1500m) were achieved, courtesy a operation of factors — his dependable cognition of the disciplines, meticulous planning, hard enactment and enactment system. “The 8,000-point obstruction is officially broken. No much worrying astir upwind oregon asterisks. I was precise blessed to execute it due to the fact that I had 2 chances this season. In heptathlon, I did 5,997, and that stung. Before that, my champion was astir 5,657. I knew I was successful signifier for 6,000. When you’re that close, it hurts more,” Tejaswin said.
“Same happening happened three-four months aboriginal astatine my archetypal decathlon lawsuit [of the season] successful San Angelo. I had an explosive time 1 again. On the 2nd day, I had breakthroughs successful rod vault. Then successful 1500m, each I needed was 4:40 to interruption the 8,000-point mark. I ran 4:51; I had ne'er tally that slow. The upwind was pugnacious (challenging), but that’s not an excuse. You bid to grip immoderate situation. I missed 8,000 by 53 points. I told myself ‘next time, nary substance however acold down I am, I’ll screen it’.”
A affable taunt from his woman Siddhi Hiray motivated Tejaswin. In Ranchi, helium targeted a clip of 4:37 successful 1500m to get to 8,000 points, but helium managed to timepiece 4:29 to scope wherever helium was longing for.
Tejaswin understands his crippled well. “Everyone’s a antithetic beast. Everyone has their ain way. I made 8,000 successful 1 way, idiosyncratic other made it differently. Some person adjacent scores crossed the board. Not galore bash 2.25m successful precocious leap (in decathlon), and nary 1 does 40m successful javelin and inactive scores 8,000. It’s a weird balance. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I play to mine: physique a monolithic people connected time one, and past bash harm power connected time two. As I amended successful those events, I tin people more.”
Tejaswin is optimistic astir performing good successful planetary and continental competitions. | Photo Credit: Ritu Raj Konwar
Double delight
The 27-year-old, who recorded 2.25m during decathlon to breach the qualifying people successful precocious jump, felt that helium could amended successful his favored discipline. He besides made the chopped successful decathlon.
“I deliberation so. It has been a breakthrough twelvemonth for maine successful precocious jump. In my archetypal contention (in January), I did 2.26m. Then, it was 2.23m astatine Asian Indoors. Here (under unit with lights going disconnected and the contention stretching for 3 hours), I did 2.25m. My mean is truly good. Surprisingly, it’s amended than my show successful the past Olympics twelvemonth erstwhile I was afloat prepared for precocious jump. That stings more.”
So, does helium privation to vie successful some precocious leap and decathlon astatine the Glasgow Commonwealth Games? “I don’t cognize the afloat schedule. I cognize that decathlon is connected July 30 and 31. High leap is besides there, but I don’t cognize the order. Based connected what I did here, I deliberation I tin bash it. But if precocious leap is scheduled close aft decathlon and I’m not moving 400m, I mightiness try.”
Support system’s role
Tejaswin underlined the value of a robust enactment strategy — which includes his wife, sister Avantika and spot and conditioning manager Wayne Lombard — and stressed that it helped him win successful an arduous lawsuit similar decathlon.
“With 10 events, it’s a intelligence battle. You’re competing for 2 consecutive days, you’re emotionally up and down. Right now, I tin beryllium and speech comfortably, but they cognize however overmuch grief I’ve fixed them implicit the past 2 days. You request a enactment strategy that understands [your situation]. I’m not justifying being mean, but you request radical who propulsion you successful the close direction, guarantee that you successful the close headspace and assistance with everything you need,” Tejaswin said.
“I scored 8,000 points, but without those radical — Wayne helping with nutrition between/after/before events, Siddhi yelling splits, my sister shouting ‘Chalo bhaiya’ — it wouldn’t person been possible. Those things distract you successful important moments due to the fact that you get caught successful your ain emotions.
“At specified times, you request radical to distract you. You hole each year, but if your caput takes over, it’s a problem. You privation musculus representation to happen. They support telling maine that I person it successful me. I conscionable person to execute — marque that 4.20m bar, tally 4:29 to execute the large goal.”
Looking astatine the bigger picture
While enjoying his infinitesimal of glory successful Ranchi, Tejaswin kept an oculus connected 2 athletes — sprinters Gurindervir Singh and Vishal T.K., who became the archetypal Indians to spell beneath 10.10 and 45 seconds successful 100m and 400m respectively and made it a memorable time for athletics lovers. He looked astatine the bigger representation of India producing much world-class athletes.
“It’s a Commonwealth Games year, and radical delivered their champion successful pugnacious conditions. What happened with Animesh Kujur and Gurindervir going backmost to backmost (lowering the 100m National grounds successful the semifinals), and Gurindervir dominating (the final) was phenomenal. In decathlon, I got 8,000, portion N. Thowfeeq was close astatine 7,530, which would’ve been capable for the bronze medal astatine the past Commonwealth Games. He’ll learn,” Tejaswin said.
“Now, it’s connected maine to propulsion the barrier. If I don’t, successful 2 Federation Cups, Thowfeeq volition beryllium astatine 8,000. That’s however athletics grows. You ever privation 1 oregon 2 radical to propulsion the envelope. Neeraj Chopra is the champion illustration — helium scored 90m. Now determination are eight-nine javelin throwers with 80-85-86m.
“There are bully things happening. It’s astir harnessing this endowment and taking it to the adjacent level. The bully athletes get opportunities and other support. This year, I was expected to vie successful 1 oregon 2 competitions arsenic per rules, but I was allowed to bash decathlon. Such exemptions are necessary.
“They didn’t propulsion maine to vie successful an event. That would person been a discarded of energy. I cognize that I person to bash a proceedings astatine the Federation meet, but doing 1 precocious leap conscionable conscionable to deed the modular is excessively much. Others besides got exemptions. I americium blessed that things person progressed,” Tejaswin explained.
He signed disconnected with a batch of optimism arsenic the state looks guardant to putting up amended performances astatine the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games this twelvemonth arsenic good arsenic the Los Angeles Olympics successful 2028.
