New Delhi: Indian high jumper Sarvesh Kushare produced a memorable performance on his Diamond League debut by finishing third at the Monaco meet, becoming only the fourth Indian athlete to secure a podium finish in one of the world’s most prestigious athletics competitions.
The 31 year old national record holder cleared 2.12m, 2.16m, 2.20m, 2.23m and 2.26m, clearing each of those heights on his first attempt. He then made three unsuccessful attempts at 2.28m, ultimately settling for third place in a world class field.
The competition was won by Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk, who cleared 2.32m on his first attempt, while Great Britain’s Jack Kimani claimed second with a best jump of 2.30m.
Kushare’s podium finish places him in an exclusive group of Indian athletes to finish among the top three in a Diamond League event. Before him, only Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, long jumper Murali Sreeshankar and former discus thrower Vikas Gowda had achieved the feat.
The Indian high jumper also outperformed several internationally renowned athletes, including three time world champion and Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar, 2023 World Championships silver medallist JuVaughn Harrison of the United States and Tokyo Olympic champion Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy.
The impressive result continues Kushare’s remarkable rise in international athletics. Last month, he rewrote the Indian national record by clearing 2.31m at the National Inter State Championships, surpassing Tejaswin Shankar’s long standing mark of 2.29m and becoming the first Indian high jumper to clear the 2.30m barrier.
Before the Monaco meet, Kushare ranked among the world’s leading high jumpers this season and was the top ranked Asian athlete based on season best performances. He had also made history last year by becoming the first Indian to qualify for the men’s high jump final at the World Athletics Championships.
His latest achievement further strengthens his growing reputation as one of India’s brightest athletics stars on the global stage.
Sorry, there was a YouTube error.
