Indian Athletics Series 1: Murali Sreeshankar, Ancy Sojan, Shaili Singh leap big

Bengaluru: The long jump events lived up to their billing as Murali Sreeshankar, Ancy Sojan and Shaili Singh dominated the men’s and women’s events of the Indian Athletics Series 1 respectively at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Saturday.

Sreeshankar, who won silver and the last Asian and Commonwealth Games, kicked off his crucial 2026 season in style with a series of 8.03 metres, 7.99, 8.13, 8.15, 8.12, 8.10 in a newfound consistency in his performances since his return from a career-threatening knee surgery. In-form Karnataka man Purushotham, meanwhile, replicated his personal best from last month as he leapt to 7.87 for a third-place finish behind Bihar’s Sunny Kumar (7.90), who trains with Sreeshankar in Thiruvananthapuram.

“I am happy that I was able to start my season well with so many 8-plus jumps,” the 27-year-old told DH. “I, in fact, was aiming for an 8.40-plus jump, but it didn’t happen. However, all this won’t matter if I don’t find them at the big-ticket events, something that I am often criticised for.”

Meanwhile, Ancy, who won the Asian Indoors bronze last February, put up a similar show earlier in the women’s final in front of a competitive field stacked with names like Shaili, Moumita Mondal and Mubassina Mohammed. 

The 25-year-old Asian Games silver medallist looks eager to upgrade the silver she won at the last Asian Games as she jumped an impressive sequence of 6.54, 6.48, 6.47, 6.48, 6.50, X (foul) to take the top spot.

Meanwhile, Shaili kicked off her season in style as she placed herself second with a 6.52 attempt but ended up fouling the next four. Her third fouled attempt left many ruining a missed opportunity as she evidently jumped beyond 6.60 while marginally overstepping the take-off board.

Moumita and Mubassina, meanwhile, fought for the third spot with the former taking the third by a mere centimetre at 6.37m.

Elsewhere, local athletes bagged three top spots in the senior categories with 100m hurdler Krishik M (representing Reliance), shot putter Akanksha Kenja, and high jumper Pallavi Patil made the most of the depleted fields in their respective events.

Results: Winners and Karnataka: Men: 100m: Shandosh P (TN) 10.45s. 110m hurdles: Krishik M (Rel) 13.87. 200m: Jishnu Prasad PK (BSF) 20.76. 800m: Anu Kumar (Utt) 1:48.21. 400m H: Arjun Pradeep (Rai) 51.04. 5000m: Harmanjot Singh (JSW) 14:21.07. Long jump: Sreeshankar (NCOT) 8.15m, 1; Purshotham (Kar) 7.87, 3. Javelin throw: Bibin Antony (Ker) 77.53. Shot put: Samardeep Singh Gill (MP) 19.74. High jump: Sarvesh Kushare (Mah) 2.23, 1; Jesse Sandesh (Kar) 2.10, 3. Discus throw: Bhartpreet Singh (Rel) 55.86, 1; Mohammed Saqlain (Kar) 53.96, 3.

Shot put: Vaidik Tiwari (MP) 16.70.

Women: 100m: Giridharini Ravikumar (TN) 11.53s. 100m hurdles: Anjali C (JSW) 13.44. 200m: Rashdeep Kaur (JSW) 24.09. 400m H: R Vithya Ramraj (Rai) 57.10. 800m: Kavitha V (TN) 2:07.57. 5000m: Prachi Devkar (Mah) 17:14.12. Long jump: Ancy Sojan (Rel) 6.54m. Javelin throw: Karishma Sanil (Rel) 50.24. Shot put: Akanksha Kenja (Kar) 11.89, 1; Madhurya (Kar) 11.11, 2; Mayuri Arade (Kar) 10.36. Discus throw: Bhavana Yadav (Del) 52.51. High jump: Pallavi Patil (Kar), 1; Bhumika KN (Kar) 12.74, Pooja (Har). Pole vault: Baranica Elangovan (TN) 4.10.