Glasgow: Tejaswin Shankar withdraws from high jump final at Commonwealth Games 2026
Early withdrawal from high jump final
India’s Tejaswin Shankar withdrew from the men’s high jump final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on Monday. His campaign concluded after he failed to clear the opening height of 2.05 metres on his first attempt. Following the jump, Shankar appeared to be in discomfort and subsequently decided to pull out of the event.
The withdrawal occurred at Scotstoun Stadium and was preceded by some initial confusion regarding his status. The official results platform for the Commonwealth Games 2026 initially listed Tejaswin Shankar as DNS (Did Not Start) for the men’s high jump final. This led to an impression that India’s representation in the final had been reduced from three athletes to two.
However, live telecast visuals quickly clarified the situation, showing Shankar warming up and preparing to compete alongside his teammates, Sarvesh Kushare and J Aadarsh Ram. It was later confirmed that the DNS status was an administrative error on the official website.
Shankar’s athletic background and recent form
Tejaswin Shankar arrived in Glasgow as a defending bronze medallist in the high jump, having secured the medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. That achievement marked him as the first Indian athlete to win a medal in the men’s high jump at the Commonwealth Games.
The 27-year-old athlete has a notable record in both high jump and decathlon. He holds the Indian outdoor high jump record of 2.29m, set in 2018, and the indoor national record of 2.28m. These achievements are considered among the best performances by an Indian athlete in the discipline.
Shankar’s form leading up to the 2026 Commonwealth Games had been strong, particularly in combined events. In February, he won the Asian Indoor Championships heptathlon title, setting an Indian record of 5,993 points. Three months later, at the Federation Cup in Ranchi, he became the first Indian athlete to surpass the 8,000-point mark in the decathlon, achieving a national record of 8,057 points. These results positioned him as one of India’s most versatile track-and-field athletes.
Born on December 21, 1998, in Saket, New Delhi, Tejaswin Shankar initially aspired to be a fast bowler in cricket. His physical education teacher at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya encouraged him to take up athletics to improve his speed and agility for cricket, which eventually led him to focus on high jumping. He received a four-year athletics scholarship to Kansas State University in the United States in 2017, where he studied accounting and finance while competing in the NCAA circuit.
His early athletic journey was also shaped by personal challenges, including the loss of his father, Harishankar, in 2014. Despite this, he continued his pursuit of athletics with the support of his mother, Lakshmi, progressing through junior levels and achieving gold at the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games.
Impact on the Indian contingent
No immediate official statement was released regarding the nature of Tejaswin Shankar’s discomfort or withdrawal. Organisers and the Indian contingent have not yet commented on whether this issue might affect his planned participation in the decathlon later in the Games.
The early exit from the high jump final is considered a setback for Shankar, and attention now turns to his potential recovery for the multi-event competition. The Indian contingent awaits further medical updates concerning his condition.
Despite the high jump development, India’s medal tally continued to advance on Monday. Gyaneshwari Yadav secured a silver medal in the women’s 53kg weightlifting event, and Bindyarani Devi added a bronze medal in the women’s 58kg category.
The Commonwealth Games 2026, scheduled from July 23 to August 2, 2026, holds significant importance for India, even with the absence of medal-heavy sports such as wrestling, badminton, and table tennis. Many Olympic and world medallists are expected to lead India’s efforts in various events.
Source: outlookindia.com
Priya Menon 