New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Indian long jumper Murali Sreesha-nkar for finishing third in the Golden League athletics meet in Paris.
Sreeshankar registered an impressive 8.09m attempt to finish third in the men's long jump event at the Paris Diamond League 2023. "Sreeshankar Murali scripts history with a great performance at the Paris Diamond League! His remarkable jump secured him a prestigious Bronze medal, giving India its first-ever medal in the long jump at Diamond League. Congrats to him and best wishes for his upcoming endeavours" wrote PM Modi in a tweet on Saturday. On Friday night, Murali logged his best jump with his third attempt. The 8.09m effort put him in the second spot, only behind the reigning Olympic and Diamond League champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece, who won the Paris Diamond League with an 8.13m jump.
However, a foul from Murali in the fourth attempt and an 8.11m jump by Switzerland's Simon Ehammer, pushed the Indian long jumper down to the third spot. Sreeshankar's fifth attempt read 7.99m and his sixth run down the track ended with a foul.
This was Sreeshankar's second appearance in the Diamond League. Last year in Monaco, he came sixth with an effort of 7.94m. His personal best jump is 8.36m which he logged last year.
Notably, India's national record in men's long jump belongs to Jeswin Aldrin, who hit 8.42m earlier this year.
The 24-year-old Sreeshankar came into the Paris leg of the Diamond League after winning three consecutive gold medals. He won a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze label event in Kallithea, Greece last month with his season-best jump of 8.18m and made the cut for the upcoming Asian Games in China.
The meeting in Paris was the fourth leg of the Diamond League, an annual series of top-tier track and field competitions organised by World Athletics. However, it was the first time this year that the men's long jump was featured in the list of events.
Points in the Diamond League are awarded to athletes based on their performances in each leg and the top eight athletes in each event qualify for the final. This year, the Diamond League Final will be held in Eugene, USA, on September 16 and 17.—IANS
