"Thought it was a winning jump" - Murali Sreeshankar surprised after winning silver at Asian Athletics Championships 2023

Long-jumper Murali Sreeshankar was taken by surprise after failing to win gold at the Asian Athletics Championship in Bangkok in Thailand on Sunday. He bagged the silver medal after recording a longest jump of 8.37 metres. Sreeshankar said that he felt his jump was much longer.

In his first five attempts, the 24-year-old could only pull off a best jump of 8.12 metres. Sreeshankar saved his best for his last jump and roared passionately. But when the screen showed his numbers, he was let down big time. He also had a chat with the match officials before he walked off disappointed.

"When I saw my last jump, I definitely thought it was above 8.45 because it was very close to the 8.50 mark, and I thought it was a winning jump, but unfortunately we fell short,” Sreeshankar was quoted as saying in a press conference.

"I thought the winning distance would be 8.20–25 metres. I knew that the Chinese Taipei jumper was there, and there was another guy whose season best was 8.22,” he stated.

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Murali Sreeshankar happy after qualifying for Paris Olympics

Sreeshankar, in the meantime, made sure that he booked a berth in the Paris Olympics which will take place next year. The qualification mark for the Olympics was 8.27 metres. The jumper said that the qualification has given him enough time to prepare himself better for the Olympics.

“The first target in Bangkok was to qualify for the Olympics. And now that I have done that, I will open my 2024 season very late, only by May or June,” Sreeshankar added.

Murali Sreeshankar had failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics with a best of 7.69 metres in the qualification round. However, he has been able to make amends.

The ace Indian long jumper's best effort of 8.41 metres came in the inter-state nationals and it helped him make his way through to the Asian Games. Earlier this year, he also finished third in the Paris Leg of the Diamond League.