Tejaswin Shankar gets AFI waiver, stays in Asian Games selection race

National record holder Tejaswin Shankar’s path to the Asian Games remains wide open despite his absence from the upcoming Senior National Interstate Championships. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has confirmed that the star decathlete has been granted an exemption and will still be considered for selection for this year’s continental showpiece.

The development comes as a stark relief to Tejaswin, who has enjoyed a strong season and recently broke his own national record in the decathlon during the Federation Cup in Ranchi. With the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games being held later this year, the AFI had previously announced that the National Interstate Championships would serve as the primary selection event.

However, Tejaswin’s case was treated differently due to the difficulty of the decathlon.

AFI planning committee chairman Lalit Bhanot explained that asking an athlete to compete in two decathlons in a short span could do more harm than good.

“Yes, he has applied in writing for an exemption from the National Inter-State and we have granted it. He will be considered for the Asian Games,” Bhanot told PTI.

“The grueling 10-discipline decathlon is the kind of event that an athlete can’t compete in twice in one month. You need a long recovery time or they’ll get injured.”

The decision means that the bronze medalist from the Hangzhou Asian Games remains firm in his bid to represent India again on the continental stage.

WHY WAS TEJASWIN GRANTED AN EXEMPTION?

Unlike specialized track athletes, decathletes experience two days of intense competition in 10 separate disciplines. Recovery becomes a major factor, especially in a season that already includes the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next month and the Asian Games later this year.

Tejaswin’s recent national record at the Federation Cup further enhanced his reputation, making another immediate appearance in the decathlon unnecessary in terms of selection.

The 26-year-old has emerged as one of India’s most reliable all-around athletes in recent years and remains one of the country’s strongest medal prospects heading into the Asian Games.

His exemption also highlights the flexibility available to the AFI Selection Committee in dealing with unique cases.

“The selection committee is the final authority to take a call whether an athlete will be selected or not,” Bhanot said.

GURINDERVIR, SABEL AND KUJUR UPDATES

While Tejaswin’s situation appears to be resolved, the AFI is yet to make a final decision on national 100m record holder Gurindervir Singh.

The sprinter, who clocked a national record of 10.09 seconds at the Federation Cup and has already qualified for the Commonwealth Games, also sought an exemption from the national interstate championships.

“Gurindervir has also asked for an exemption and AFI is yet to sign up for it. We will,” Bhanot said.

He added that Gurindervir will still have to compete and meet the qualification requirements before being considered for the Asian Games squad.

There was less encouraging news for national record holder Avinash Sable. Bhanot confirmed that the steeplechase star is still recovering from ACL surgery and is currently in no condition to compete.

The AFI official also addressed questions regarding Odisha’s representation of 200m national record holder Animesh Kujur. There were allegations regarding the validity of his migration from Chhattisgarh, but Bhanot clarified that once the migration is approved, it remains valid unless the athlete applies for further transfer through due process.

With the national interstate championships starting on Wednesday and the Asian Games line-up to be finalized on the final day of the meet, the focus now shifts to the athletes looking to secure their spots. For Tejaswin, however, the path seems clear. His absence from the championship will not stand in the way of another shot at success at the Asian Games.

– The end

Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

23 Jun 2026 21:28 IST