Star Indian long jumper, Murali Sreeshankar, is set to forgo the Diamond League final 2023, unfolding in Eugene, Oregon on September 16-17. Instead, he will channel his energies towards the forthcoming Asian Games 2023. This strategic move comes despite Sreeshankar earning the distinct honor of being the first Indian long jumper to qualify for the Diamond League final, thanks to his commendable fifth-place finish at the Zurich leg earlier this month.
Sreeshankar, with an impressive personal record in long jump at 8.41m, has been in stellar form this season. Before his Zurich achievement, he secured third and fifth places at the Paris and Lausanne legs of the Diamond League, respectively. The Diamond League points system allows athletes to amass qualifying points depending on their finishes in each leg. The top six then move on to the season’s climactic finals.
However, with the long jump event at the Diamond League final slated for September 17 and the men's long jump qualifiers for the Asian Games in Hangzhou merely 12 days later, the window of preparation seemed too tight. This has led to Sreeshankar's pivotal decision of prioritizing the Asian Games.
Apart from Sreeshankar, India has more reasons to cheer, with javelin maestro Neeraj Chopra and steeplechase expert Avinash Sable also making the cut for the Eugene Diamond League finals.
Earlier this year, Sreeshankar's prowess was on display when he clinched gold at the third Indian Grand Prix. He further cemented his position in the global athletic circuit by winning events at the World Athletics Continental Tour in Kallithea, Greece, and the MVA High-Performance Athletics Meet in the USA. However, the Commonwealth Games 2022 silver medallist faced a setback at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest, where he missed the finals.
In conclusion, the Indian athletic community will keenly watch Murali Sreeshankar’s performance at the 2023 Asian Games. His decision underscores the weightage and significance the Asian Games hold for athletes from the continent.
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