CWG 2022: After crossing official hurdles, Tejaswin Shankar makes historic jump

On Wednesday, barely a heartbeat later, there was a joyous vibe to the 23-year-old. Under darkening skies at the Alexander Stadium, he was huddling in celebration with New Zealander Hamish Kerr and Brandon Starc, the gangling Oz cricketer Mitchell's much-smaller younger brother. The Indian had cleared 2. 22m - the leap that got him a bronze medal. It was a telling statement to all the naysayers and officious detractors in Indian sport's administrative offices.

Tejaswin had qualified for the Games by achieving the high-jump qualification standard at a meet in the US. However, the Athletics Federation of India did not pencil him in for Birmingham.

Read AlsoBuoyed By high-jump CWG bronze, Tejaswin Shankar eyes decathlon podium finish at Asian Games

After winning a historic bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, high jumper Tejaswin Shankar spoke exclusively to TOI, revealing his future plans and the importance of the medal he won here. Excerpts…

Reason: Tejaswin had not shown up at the Chennai qualifiers a month or so ago. The federation had mandated that only athletes who competed in inter-state meets in the country would be eligible for the CWG. The matter reached a Delhi court with the ruling in the athlete's favour.

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The remarkable achievement by Tejaswin Shankar makes one ask why he was not part of the original squad. One also wonders if the colour of the medal would have been different if he had got more time to acclimatize in Birmingham rather than reaching there at the last minute because of the legal battles he had to fight to become part of the Indian contingent.

'Emotional readiness is of paramount importance'But when all seemed settled, the CWG organisers could not add him in as the deadline had