Jeswin Aldrin, the holder of the national long jump record, faced a setback during the men's long jump final at the World Athletics Championships on Thursday. The young athlete could only manage an 11th place finish, with his only legal jump measuring 7.77m.
Starting on an unsteady note, Aldrin fouled his initial two attempts. However, he managed to register a jump of 7.77m in his third try. Unfortunately, this effort did not enable him to secure a spot in the top eight of the 12-man final. In championship standards, post the initial three rounds, only the top eight contenders continue the competition, while the rest face elimination.
Given his impressive credentials, Aldrin's performance might have caught many by surprise. Before the championship, he had recorded a spectacular national record jump of 8.42m earlier in the season, making him a world season leader. During the qualification round on Wednesday, Aldrin achieved an 8.0m jump, just making it to the final by securing the 12th position. Notably, his last two attempts in the qualification round were fouled.
Earlier in the day, another Indian athlete, Ram Baboo, completed the men's 35km race walk event in 2 hours 39 minutes 07 seconds, finishing in the 27th position. Baboo, who's just 24, has a national record to his name with a time of 2:29:56.
The 21-year-old Aldrin is no stranger to the World Championships spotlight. He became the second Indian male long jumper, following M Sreeshankar, to enter the finals. Sreeshankar had secured the seventh spot in the 2022 World Championships held in the USA. Unfortunately, this time around, Sreeshankar couldn't make it to the finals after registering a best jump of 7.74m during the qualification round.
It's worth noting Aldrin's journey leading up to this championship. He had previously participated in the 2022 edition of the World Championships in the USA but had not advanced beyond the qualification round. While he began the season with a record-breaking jump, Aldrin found it challenging to consistently cross the 8m mark. Adding to the challenges were fitness concerns that caused him to miss the Asian Championships in July. However, he showcased a glimpse of his potential at the CITIUS Meeting in Bern, Switzerland, where he clinched victory with a commendable 8.22m jump.
As the World Athletics Championships continue, enthusiasts and supporters will be keenly watching the performances and hopeful for standout moments from promising talents like Jeswin Aldrin.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty inch closer to World Championships medal after convincing victory in Round of 16
EXCLUSIVE | R Praggnanandhaa explains the reason behind his loss to Magnus Carlsen in FIDE Chess World Cup final
