Murali Sreeshankar eyes 2026 Commonwealth Games gold jump: ‘Hopefully we will change the color of the medal’

Murali Sreeshankar (Photo AFP) NEW DELHI: More than 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 out on his biggest dream – the Paris Olympics – despite having already secured qualification.Doctors, trainers and many around him believed his career might 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 having one of the best seasons of his career. He started the year with a jump of 8.15 m in Bengaluru, won the Simbine Classic in South Africa with 8.12 m and recently recorded 8.38 m at the National Interstate Championships – the second best jump of his career after his national record of 8.41 m.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 also look really good. Hopefully, change the color of the medal,” Sreeshankar told reporters during a virtual media interaction.

I’m in the best shape

The 2025 season was all about rebuilding for Sreeshankar, both mentally and physically. After the surgery, he set his sights on the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games and finally the LA Olympics.“My main goal in 2025 was to be at the World Championships to set the tone for the 2026 season, which is exactly what’s happening right now. Now in 2026, we’ve got the Commonwealth Games in 10 days and the Asian Games in two and a half months. It’s about fine-tuning your preparation to make sure you’re peaking at the right time.”“The global standards have gone up, but the biggest confidence for me is that I’m in the best shape physically after the surgery. I’ve been working on a lot of factors during rehabilitation that have 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 put up a good competition,” he added.

Preparation in Poland for the Glasgow challenge

Sreeshankar is currently training in Spala, Poland, where the conditions are very similar to what he expects in Glasgow. The Indian star believes adapting to the Mondo track surface and cooler weather could make a difference.“Spala is the absolute best place to train at the moment, not only 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 on the Mondo track is completely different to the normal track. We trained outside during the evening sessions when it’s cooler, so my body adapted,” added the long jumper.

Recovery now matters more than workload

After a serious knee injury, Sreeshankar says recovery has become as important as training.“In terms of workload, recovery is the most important thing now. More than hard work and pushing hard every day, recovery has become a key part of my training. I train basically five days a week. One day is active recovery and one day is complete rest, because I can’t train the way I did five years ago because of the knee problem.”He added that the years of elite competition had also taken their toll.After the Commonwealth Games, which are 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 the Asian Games coming within a few 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 to be ready for the next training session. That’s what professional sport is all about, managing recovery and training plans,” he said.

No target distance, just trust in the process

Over the years, Sreeshankar has taken his performances to another level. His personal best of 8.41m, achieved at the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar in June 2023, remains the national record.Despite having jumped 8.38m this season, Sreeshankar believes there is much more to come.“I haven’t kept a ceiling for my jump because I feel that I have the potential to produce a very big jump this season. I haven’t set any specific mark like a national record or any specific distance. I just trust the process and work on every parameter that I have control over. I am optimistic that the big jump will come at the big championship,” he said.“I was very happy as it was my best leap after the surgery, but I still have a much bigger leap ahead of me. Once all the various parameters align properly, I will get the big leap. I am eagerly waiting for that day,” said Sreeshankar.