With just a day left in the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Murali Sreeshankar believes Indian men’s long jump is entering its strongest phase ever.
Yet, despite the unprecedented depth in talent, the national record holder insists the country’s biggest achievements are still ahead. “The best is still yet to come,” Sreeshankar said confidently, reflecting on how dramatically the event has evolved in recent years.
For decades, the elusive 8-metre mark symbolised elite status for Indian long jumpers. Crossing it meant a career-defining milestone. Today, however, Sreeshankar says that benchmark has become almost routine. “8 metres has become a very normal mark. You can see athletes jumping beyond 8metres even at state-level competitions now. Earlier, it used to feel like a huge milestone. That’s not the case anymore.”
The transformation is evident in the domestic circuit itself. Sreeshankar revealed that he entered this season’s Inter-State Championships ranked only fourth among Indian jumpers, highlighting the extraordinary depth that now exists in the discipline.
“I went into the Inter-State Championships as the fourth-leading jumper in India. There were already athletes who had jumped farther than me that season.”
India now boasts one of the strongest groups of long jumpers in Asia, with multiple athletes consistently crossing the 8.20m mark and two already breaching 8.30m this season. The numbers underline the surge. Lokesh has cleared 8.21m, David has jumped 8.22m, while Sreeshankar himself has registered an impressive 8.38m. Such competition, he says, has fundamentally changed the mindset of Indian athletes. “When I compete in India now, I know I have to be at my absolute best. I can’t turn up slightly off form and expect to win. If I jump around 8.10 metres, I could easily get beaten.”
According to Sreeshankar, that relentless domestic rivalry is exactly what elevates an entire sporting ecosystem. Drawing a comparison with Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra’s influence on Indian javelin, Sreeshankar explained how one athlete’s excellence forces everyone else to improve. “When Neeraj kept throwing beyond 88m, everyone behind him knew they had to raise their standards. That’s why Rohit, Kishore and Sachin all improved. That’s how the standard of an event rises in a country.”
He believes long jump is now experiencing a similar transformation. However, Sreeshankar warns that domestic success alone will not guarantee medals on the global stage. The real challenge, he believes, lies in reproducing those performances against the world’s best under unfamiliar conditions. “It will be crucial to replicate the performances we’ve produced domestically at the international level. That depends on adapting to different conditions. That’s what will help us win global medals.”
As India heads into another major international season, Sreeshankar sees more than just individual success. He sees the emergence of an entire generation capable of pushing one another beyond previous limits. The 8m barrier may no longer define Indian long jump. The next challenge, according to Sreeshankar, is ensuring that the country’s growing domestic dominance translates into podium finishes on the biggest international stages.