CWG 2026: Long Jumper Murali Sreeshankar settles for silver yet again as Lokesh Sathyanathan finishes fifth

India's Murali Sreeshankar makes an attempt during the men's long jump final at the Commonwealth Games 2026, on July 30, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI Weeks before the Commonwealth Games got underway, Murali Sreeshankar knew that if he wanted to win gold, he would have to overcome one of the finest long jumpers in the world — Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle, a three-time World Championships medallist.Also read | CWG 2026: Neeraj Chopra, Rohit Yadav and Yash Vir Singh enter javelin finalThe 29-year-old Jamaican, renowned for his explosive take-offs and ability to produce big jumps under pressure, was the man to beat, and Sreeshankar was well aware of the challenge. Competing in tricky conditions, with the temperature hovering below 17 degrees at the Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow on Wednesday (July 29, 2026) night, the Indian produced a best effort of 8.09m. It earned the 27-year-old, whose season’s best stood at 8.38m, the silver medal, while Gayle clinched gold with a leap of 8.15m. Stephen Mackenzie of Scotland emerged third with a jump of 8.08m as Lokesh Sathyanathan of India finished fifth with a leap of 7.97m.Gayle, too, found the conditions challenging. He opened with a jump of 8.08m before managing just 6.08m in his second round and then fouling his third. The Jamaican came back strongly with a leap of 8.15m in the fourth round before signing off with efforts of 8.00m and 7.87m in his fifth and sixth attempts respectively. It was a huge triumph for Jamaica as the country won its first-ever Games long jump gold and on Gayle’s second CWG appearance, after the 2018 edition. “This was for my country and not for me. It was cold and very difficult. After every jump, I wanted to go into the crowd and feel warm,” Gayle said.After taking the lead with a jump of 8.09m in the second round, Sreeshankar remained in front until Gayle responded with the leap of 8.15m in the fourth. Needing something special in his sixth and final attempt, the Indian received a rousing ovation from the crowd, who clapped rhythmically in the hope that he would come up with something special. Sreeshankar gave it everything, but could manage only 7.97m, thereby settling for the silver medal.Sreeshankar said he was grateful for the silver medal after a major knee injury that threatened his career in the year 2024. “The silver medal really means a lot to me. To win a medal for the country after a major injury like patellar tendon [in his left knee] is very special. And for everyone who supported me during the tough times and everyone who said that I won’t be jumping again ever in my career, this medal is for them,” he said.The 2023 Asian Games silver medallist admitted that his performance in Glasgow would not be enough to secure a podium finish at next year’s Asian Games in Japan.“I have to jump much better and farther than I did here if I want to win a medal for my country at the 2026 Asian Games,” he said. Having now clinched back-to-back CWG silver medals, Sreeshankar will turn his attention to the Asian Games, hoping to convert his continental silver into gold. Published - July 30, 2026 04:41 pm IST