Indian Army athlete Naib Subedar Sarvesh Anil Kushare has set a new national record in the men's high jump by clearing 2.31 meters at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar. This achievement makes him the first Indian ever to surpass the legendary 2.30-meter barrier.
Record-Breaking Performance
Kushare's jump of 2.31 meters eclipses the previous national record of 2.29 meters set by Tejaswin Shankar of New Delhi in 2018. With this performance, Kushare has also secured his qualification for the upcoming Asian Games.
The Indian Army celebrated the achievement, stating, "The gold rush continues," after Kushare won the gold medal at the championships. The Army further added, "Wishing Nb Sub Sarvesh all the very best for the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games — fly high and bring home more glory!"
Context and Comparisons
The Asian Games record in high jump stands at 2.35 meters, set by Mutaz Barsham of Qatar in September 2014 in Incheon, South Korea. The Commonwealth Games record is 2.36 meters, achieved by Clarence Saunders of Bermuda in February 1990 in Auckland, Australia. The world record remains 2.45 meters, set by Javier Sotomayor of Cuba in July 1993 in Salamanca, Spain.
Athlete Background
Kushare hails from the Nashik district of Maharashtra. He joined the Indian Army in 2016 and is currently posted at the Artillery Center in Bengaluru. His international debut came at the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal in December 2019, where he won the gold medal in men's high jump. Over his career, he has earned multiple medals at both national and international events.
Army's Mission Olympics Programme
The Indian Army's Mission Olympics programme identifies and trains talented sportspersons at the Army Sports Institute (ASI), which operates in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India. Established in July 2001, the ASI is a multi-disciplinary institute that nurtures athletic talent from within the armed forces and recruits promising individuals from across the country.
In recent months, several Indian Army sportspersons have won gold medals at various international and national competitions, reflecting the success of the Army's sports development initiatives.
