Sreeshankar targets 2028 gold after fourth career silver: 'Everything will be compensated'

Long jumper M. Sreeshankar, who won a silver medal at the Asian Games in Japan, said on Friday that he was confident his fourth career silver would eventually pave the way for a major gold, and that he hoped to achieve the feat in 2028.

Mr. Sreeshankar won the silver despite suffering an injury during his fourth attempt. Speaking to reporters at his residence after returning from Japan, he said his physical condition and preparation were good enough for a jump of more than 8.20 m, but that a slip while attempting that distance affected his performance.

The Asian Games are held once every four years and are among the largest multi-sport events in the world.

"My body condition was good. I had all the conditions required to jump 8.20 m-plus. So, during the jump aimed at reaching 8.20 m, my leg went a bit forward, and I suddenly slipped and fell like Superman," he said.

The long jumper said he had missed gold by very narrow margins on previous occasions, but believed those experiences were leading him towards a major triumph. "If I get a gold in 2028, then everything will be compensated, for sure," he said.

Asked whether winning the medal was a stroke of luck, Mr. Sreeshankar said the difficult weather conditions had made the competition unpredictable. "Definitely. Because in these weather conditions, the performance could go either way. It was raining heavily, but alongside the rain, it was also humid. So, jumping above 8 metres gave me good confidence," he said.

He said he had expected jumps in the range of 8.10 m or 8.15 m, but felt his 8.07 m effort was satisfactory under the circumstances.

The heat, humidity and rain caused cramps among several athletes, he said, making the ability to adapt to conditions crucial to winning a medal. "In these major competitions, whoever can overcome and adapt to that particular situation gets the medal," he said.

Mr. Sreeshankar noted that all five athletes in the competition had previously recorded jumps of around 8.30 m or 8.40 m, making it a closely contested event. The athletes finishing behind him recorded jumps of 8.05 m and 8.06 m, with the second, third and fourth positions separated by just one centimetre.

He said his muscles began cramping from his third attempt, forcing him to approach the jump cautiously to avoid aggravating the injury. "I only had the intention of just completing that jump. If I applied too much force, those cramped muscles might have led to further injury. So, I had to take that attempt very easily," he said.

His decision to complete the attempt cautiously, rather than push through the pain, reflects the balance athletes must strike between chasing a result and protecting their fitness.

Mr. Sreeshankar's remarks underlined his view that adapting to conditions matters as much as preparation at major competitions.

The silver in Japan was the fourth of his career. The Summer Olympics are scheduled to be held in Los Angeles in 2028.

Palakkad MP V.K. Sreekandan and Palakkad MLA Ramesh Pisharody visited Mr. Sreeshankar's residence to congratulate him on his achievement.