NEW DELHI: Just over two years ago, Murali Sreeshankar feared he might never compete again. A ruptured patellar tendon during training in April 2024 forced the Indian long jumper to miss his biggest dream – the Paris Olympics – despite having already secured qualification.Doctors, coaches and many around him believed his career could be over. But he refused to give up.Today, the 27-year-old is back stronger than ever.Heading into the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Sreeshankar is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career. He opened the year with an 8.15m jump in Bengaluru, won the Simbine Classic in South Africa with 8.12m and recently registered 8.38m at the National Inter-State Championships – the second-best jump of his career after his national record of 8.41m.After winning silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games with 8.08m, Sreeshankar now has only one goal in mind – to turn silver into gold.“Because last time I won silver with the same jump, 8.08. I am in good touch, more confident. This time the chances are looking really good too. Hopefully change the color of the medal,” Sreeshankar told reporters during a virtual media interaction.
I am in the best condition
The 2025 season was all about rebuilding for Sreeshankar, both mentally and physically. After surgery, he shifted his focus to the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games and, eventually, the LA Olympics.“My main goal in 2025 was to be at the World Championship so that I set the tone for the 2026 season, which is exactly happening right now. Now in 2026 we have Commonwealth Games in 10 days and in two-and-a-half months we have the Asian Games as well. It’s about tweaking your preparation to make sure that you peak at the right time,” he said.“The global standards have become higher, but the biggest confidence for me is that physically I am in the best condition ever after surgery. During rehabilitation I worked on a lot of factors that really improved my physical condition and qualities. I’m really optimistic and looking forward to the events, especially the Commonwealth Games where the competition will be very high. I’m excited to go to Glasgow and give a good competition,” he added.
Preparing in Poland for the Glasgow challenge
Sreeshankar has been currently training in Spala, Poland, where the conditions closely resemble what he expects in Glasgow. The Indian star believes adapting to the Mondo track surface and the cooler weather could make a major difference.“Spala is absolutely the best place to train right now, not just because of the weather but also because of the track. The track here is Mondo, which is the same surface we will have in Glasgow,” he said.“When I came here to Spala, the first week was difficult because the feedback you get from a Mondo track is completely different from a normal track. We’ve been training outdoors during evening sessions when it’s colder so my body gets adjusted,” the long jumper added.
Recovery now matters more than workload
After the serious knee injury, Sreeshankar says recovery has become just as important as training.“Workload-wise, recovery is the most important thing now. More than working hard and going all out every single day, recovery has become the key part of my training. I basically train five days a week. One day is active recovery and one day is complete rest because I can’t train the way I trained five years ago because of my knee issue.”He added that years of elite competition have also taken their toll.After the Commonwealth Games, scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 2, there will be little time to shift focus to the Asian Games. The 20th Asian Games will be held in Aichi and Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.With both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games coming within months, Sreeshankar knows the challenge lies in timing his peak.“The challenge is to peak at two different stages, the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. You have to respect your body and give it proper recovery so that it is ready for the next training session. That’s what professional sport is all about, managing recovery and training schedules,” he said.
No target distance, only trust in the process
Over the years, Sreeshankar has taken his performances to another level. His personal best of 8.41m, set at the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar in June 2023, remains the national record.Despite jumping 8.38m this season, Sreeshankar believes there is much more to come.“I haven’t kept a ceiling for my jump because I feel this season I have the potential to produce a very big jump. I haven’t fixed any particular mark like a national record or any specific distance. I’m just trusting the process and working on every parameter that is in my control. I’m optimistic that the big jump will come in a major championship,” he said.“I was very happy because it was my best jump after surgery, but there is still a much bigger jump waiting. Once all the different parameters align properly, I’ll get that big jump. I’m eagerly waiting for that day,” Sreeshankar said.
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