After dismal performances at the 2019 Doha World Championships and the Tokyo Olympics, where he failed to reach the final, the inevitable question about long dancer Murali Sreeshankar ahead of the upcoming Worlds was: Will he be able to handle the pressure of great competition?
The 23-year-old put those doubts to rest on Friday, with a best effort of 8 meters that earned him a place in the final, making him the first male national long jumper to do so. His compatriots Jeswin Aldrin and Anees Yahiya won’t be keeping him company in Oregon anymore after failing to reach the finals. Regardless of what happens from here on out, Sreeshankar’s achievement is nothing short of a breakthrough in Indian athletics.
“It’s a big thing for the long jump in the country. I stopped at 8.19m but always dreamed that some other Indian would carry the mantle forward. At one point jumping the 8 meter barriers was considered huge, now we have three jumpers who can do it. When I was competing, I couldn’t imagine a long jumper from our country reaching the World finals,” says Ankit Sharma, who was the national record holder until Sreeshankar rewrote it for the first time in 2018.
#World Athletics Championships
Men’s long jump final tomorrow at 06:50; Watch M Sreeshankar live in action at @SonySportsNetwk pic.twitter.com/sRVDK3P2xX
— Athletics Federation of India (@afiindia) July 16, 2022
Sharma was also praised for the youngster’s technique and commitment to work. He had no qualms about comparing Sreeshankar’s attitude and work ethic to that of India’s greatest track athlete, Neeraj Chopra.
“He is blessed with great genes thanks to his athletic parents. His strength is his explosiveness. He can make 8 meters at any angle he leaves. His approach has also improved a lot recently. Like Neeraj, he too is very dedicated and humble. He has no distractions and works hard like Neeraj,” adds Sharma.
The build-up to the Tokyo Olympics was far from ideal for Sreeshankar and his father-coach Murali. The Athletics Federation of India made him undergo a fitness test in which he failed. Coach Murali had to give him in writing that his son would touch 8 meters in Tokyo. Sreeshankar was already reeling even before his campaign began and he eventually managed a best jump of 7.69m, which was not enough for a place in the finals.
#World Athletics Championships
Murli Sreeshankar becomes the first Indian 🇮🇳 to qualify for the World Championship finals!
Keep flying boy 💫 all the best for the grand finals.
Any advice cham @anjubobbygeorg1
photo- @g_rajaraman pic.twitter.com/X1KRXRey0
— Athletics Federation of India (@afiindia) July 16, 2022
But this season, Sreeshankar showed much more maturity and consistency as he crossed the 8 meter mark on numerous occasions. In the inter-state meet, final selection and fitness trials for the CWG, he broke the 8m mark in the warm-up itself and returned to the gold bag with a good jump of 8.21m.
The affable but eccentric athlete also had a long chat with Robert Bobby George, who has been instrumental in shaping Sreeshankar’s technique, before he left for Oregon. Bobby, who coached Anju to India’s World Singles medal, summed up the entire conversation in one line: “I asked her to take the qualifying round very seriously.”
Tremendous potential
When Bobby first saw Sreeshakar dance in 2017, he saw immense potential in the youngster, but he wanted to ask the Kerala athlete to change his technique. Bobby was sure that Sreeshankar, whose best jumps were at 7.60-7.70m, should give up his outdated hanging technique and use the kick (athletes make a circular motion with their legs while fly through the air) to break the 8 meter mark. Murali was initially reluctant to listen to Robert’s advice.
“I told his father and he seemed very reluctant. He was worried that Sree’s performance would decline further,” recalls Robert. But Bobby wasn’t going to give up that easily.
“I spoke to Sree’s mother and explained the process to her. I also spoke to his sister and told her to convince her brother. Within four months he made the change and the following year he broke the 8-meter mark. I am happy to have had an important role to play in Sreeshankar’s career,” says Robert.
Robert believes that reaching the finals of a major tournament like the World Cup will boost Sreehsankar’s confidence and help him in future major tournaments. “He is very young and has 6-7 years left,” he says. Robert, the most technically sound horizontal jump coach in the country, has more advice for the youngster as he makes that journey.
“His last steps before the jump need correction,” he says. “He’s taking longer strides instead of faster strides which I think will help him gain more distance.”
