National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships: Jumper Murali Sreeshankar qualifies for World Athletics Championships

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], June 18 : Murali Sreeshankar with his massive 8.41m leap qualified for the World Athletics Championships in the men's long jump on Sunday at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships 2023 in Bhubaneswar.

According to Olympics.com, Sreeshankar marked his personal best on his first attempt at the Kalinga Stadium. The 24-year-old fell 0.01m short of Jeswin's Aldrin's national record but breached the world championships qualifying mark of 8.25m.

S Murali had also cleared the 8.25m barrier in an athletics meet in California, USA last month with an 8.29m effort, but since his leap was wind-assisted, he could not qualify for the world championships.

Last week, Murali Sreeshankar registered an impressive 8.09m long jump to claim the third spot at the Paris Diamond League 2023.

Before that, Murali Sreeshankar won a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze label event in Kallithea, Greece with 8.18m and made the cut for the upcoming Asian Games in China.

Murali Sreeshankar is expected to join Neeraj Chopra at the Lausanne Diamond League on June 30.

Jeswin Aldrin managed a 7.83m long jump during the heats at the inter-state championships and came second. Jeswin Aldrin has already qualified for the world championships with his gold medal-winning 8.26m leap at the National Games last year.

Overall, 12 of the 20 listed competitors in the men's long jump qualified for the long jump final, which will be held on Monday.

The women's long jump saw the 2022 national champion Ancy Sojan top the heats with an effort of 6.49m. Asian championships bronze medallist Nayana James came second with 6.31m followed by promising 19-year-old Shaili Singh, who hit the 6.27m mark.

With the Intercontinental Cup 2023 football final between India and Lebanon set to take place at the same venue later in the day, the long jump finals along with other remaining summit clashes in the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships 2023 will be held on Monday.

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