Tejaswin Shankar Sets Sights on 8000-Point Decathlon Milestone After Asian Indoor Triumph
BENGALURU: Following his recent gold medal victory in the heptathlon at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships, Tejaswin Shankar is brimming with optimism about surpassing the 8000-point barrier in the decathlon at the upcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games. In an exclusive interview with TOI from Los Angeles, while en route to Kansas City where he is pursuing a Masters in kinesiology and exercise science under coach Kip Janvrin, Shankar revealed that his personal best time of 7.11 seconds in the 60m dash at Tianjin served as a crucial indicator of his potential for success.
Confidence Boost from Tianjin Performance
India's elite all-round athlete, who is now targeting gold at the Asian Games after securing silver in Hangzhou three years ago, described his Tianjin gold—his first continental title—as a significant confidence booster. "When you start off well in the first event, it sets the tone for the remaining action," Shankar explained. "The 60m in the heptathlon gives you a good indication of how the day is going to be. If you're fast, springy, and explosive, you know, 'I'm going to have a good long jump and shot put.' Getting a personal best there lifted my confidence. And that's what happened in the long jump too, when I beat my indoor personal best."
He emphasized that his training has been progressing smoothly, and seeing it translate into competition results against the same rivals he will face at the Asian Games has bolstered his self-assurance. "See, we didn't really tweak training to try and do well at Tianjin. And if I'm able to do this, then obviously once the training load reduces or we start preparing or tapering for competitions, I feel like I'll be in much better shape," he added.
Upcoming Competitions and Strategic Plans
If selected and granted approval by the Athletic Federation of India, Shankar's next international appearance could be in the men's high jump at the World Indoor Championships in Poland next month. While this event is not his primary goal for the year compared to the Commonwealth Games or Asian Games, he views it as an opportunity to assess his preparation and perform well.
Discussing the late September event in Japan's Aichi-Nagoya, Shankar outlined his clear objective: "If you've gotten silver, the next thing you want is gold. That's what I want to do at the Asian Games." He acknowledged the need to refine his skills in discus and javelin—the two additional events in decathlon compared to heptathlon—and integrate them seamlessly into his performance.
Regarding the Commonwealth Games, Shankar noted the stronger competition field and stated, "I'm not gunning for medals there. That would be a great opportunity to score 8000 points for the first time. Because if I can figure out 8000 in that field, that will guarantee me a medal."
Breakdown of Tianjin Performance and Challenges
Reflecting on his Tianjin performance, Shankar detailed his approach in various events. In the long jump, he opted for a safe strategy after a marginal foul on his first attempt, achieving a solid 7.53 meters. For shot put, he focused on patience and technique, resulting in a season's best of 13.63 meters on his final attempt.
However, his strongest event, the high jump, presented a familiar challenge. During warm-ups, he experienced pain from patellar tendonitis (jumper's knee), causing significant discomfort. "That was when the whole score (leading with 2492 points) flashed before my eyes. Not sure if I would be able to finish," he recalled. Despite the pain, he managed to clear 2.23 meters on his third attempt, which he considers his best jump ever in a combined event.
He also highlighted a good performance in the pole vault (4.20 meters) and expressed determination to move forward. "All in all, it was about getting past the 6,000-point barrier. I missed that by seven points. I just have to move on and try and break the 8,000 point mark in the outdoor season," Shankar concluded, underscoring his relentless pursuit of excellence in athletics.
