Glasgow: Tejaswin Shankar withdraws from high jump final at Commonwealth Games 2026
High Jump Final Sees Early Exit
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 and subsequently pulled out of the event. The incident occurred at Scotstoun Stadium.
Shankar’s withdrawal followed an initial period of confusion stemming from an error on the official results website. The platform had listed him as DNS (Did Not Start) for the final, which initially suggested a reduction in India’s representation from three athletes to two. However, live telecast visuals quickly clarified that Shankar was present at the stadium, warming up alongside his teammates Sarvesh Kushare and J Aadarsh Ram. The DNS status was later identified as an administrative error on the official website.
Once the website error was resolved, attention shifted to Shankar’s performance. During his first attempt at the opening height, he was unable to clear the bar. After landing, the 27-year-old athlete appeared to be in discomfort and decided to withdraw from the competition shortly thereafter, ending his high jump participation.
Impact and Background
No immediate official statement was released regarding the nature of Shankar’s issue. Organisers and the Indian contingent did not comment on whether this setback would affect his planned participation in the decathlon, scheduled for later in the Games. Shankar had arrived in Glasgow as the defending bronze medallist in the high jump, having secured a medal at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, making him the first Indian to achieve this feat in the men’s high jump event.
His impressive form throughout 2026, particularly in combined events, had set high expectations for his performance. In February, he claimed the Asian Indoor Championships heptathlon title, setting an Indian record with 5,993 points. Three months later, at the Federation Cup in Ranchi, he became the first Indian athlete to surpass the 8,000-point barrier in the decathlon, achieving a national record of 8,057 points. These achievements had established him as one of India’s most versatile track-and-field athletes leading up to the Commonwealth Games.
Shankar’s athletic journey began with an aspiration to be a fast bowler in cricket. He was born on December 21, 1998, in Saket, New Delhi. His physical education teacher at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya encouraged him to take up athletics to improve his speed and agility for cricket, which marked a significant turning point in his life. He quickly discovered an aptitude for high jumping, excelling in school competitions before fully committing to athletics.
His path was also shaped by personal challenges, including the loss of his father, Harishankar, to blood cancer in 2014. Despite this, he continued his pursuit of athletics with the support of his mother, Lakshmi, progressing steadily through the junior levels.
In 2017, Shankar received a four-year athletics scholarship to Kansas State University in the United States, where he studied accounting and finance while competing on the NCAA circuit. He holds the Indian outdoor high jump record of 2.29m, set in 2018, and the indoor national record of 2.28m, both of which remain among the best performances by an Indian athlete in the discipline.
Looking Ahead for the Indian Contingent
The early exit in the high jump final was a setback, and attention now turns to whether Shankar can recover in time for the multi-event competition. The Indian contingent awaits further medical updates regarding his condition. This incident highlights the unpredictable nature of elite sports, where physical challenges and technical issues can converge.
Despite the high jump developments, India’s medal tally continued to grow 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, a multi-sport event, is scheduled from July 23 to August 2, 2026. India has historically achieved significant success at these Games, and despite the absence of medal-heavy sports like wrestling, badminton, and table tennis in this edition, Olympic and world medallists are expected to lead the country’s efforts.
Shankar’s previous achievements include a gold medal at the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games, further demonstrating his potential in international competitions.
The Indian contingent will be hoping for a swift recovery and clarity on Shankar’s participation in the decathlon, as the Games continue until August 2, 2026.
Source: outlookindia.com
