New Delhi: Just over two years ago, Murali Srisankar Worried he might never play again. In April 2024, the Indian long jumper ruptured his patellar tendon during training and missed his biggest dream, the Paris Olympics, despite having qualified.Doctors, coaches and many around him believed his career might be over. But he refused to give up.Today, the 27-year-old is stronger than ever.Heading into the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Sreeshankar is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career. He started the year with a clearance of 8.15m in Bengaluru, won the Simbine Classic in South Africa with a clearance of 8.12m and recently achieved a clearance of 8.38m at the National Interstate Championships, the second best result of his career after a national record of 8.41m.After winning silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games with a throw of 8.08m, Sreeshankar now has only one goal in mind – turning silver into gold.“Because last time I won the silver medal with the same jump count (8.08). I feel good and more confident. The chances look good this time as well. Hopefully the color of the medal will be changed,” Srishankar told reporters during a virtual media interaction.
I’m in the best shape right now
The 2025 season will be a mental and physical rebuild for Sreeshankar. After surgery, he turned his attention to the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and eventually the Los Angeles Olympics.“My main goal for 2025 is to compete in the World Championships so I set the tone for the 2026 season and that’s what’s happening now. Now, in 2026 we have the Commonwealth Games in 10 days and in two and a half months we have the Asian Games. It’s about tailoring your preparation to make sure you peak at the right time,” he said.“Globally the standards are getting higher and higher but the biggest confidence for me is that after the surgery I am in the best shape I’ve ever been physically. I’ve worked a lot during my recovery to really improve my fitness and quality. I’m very optimistic and looking forward to the competition, especially the Commonwealth Games, which will be very competitive. I’m excited to go to Glasgow and have a good race,” he added.
Preparing for the Glasgow Challenge in Poland
Srishankar has been training in Spara, Poland, where conditions are very similar to what he expected in Glasgow. The Indian star believes acclimating to the Mondo track surface and cooler weather could make a big difference.“Spara is definitely the best place to train at the moment, not only because of the weather but also because of the track. The track here is Mondo, the same track we have in Glasgow,” he said.“When I came to Spala, the first week was difficult because the feedback from the Mondo track was completely different from the normal track. We have been training outdoors in the evening because it was colder, so my body got adjusted,” added the long jumper.
Recovery is now more important than workload
Srishankar said that after a serious knee injury, recovery becomes as important as training.“Recovery is the most important thing right now in terms of workload. In addition to working hard and giving it my all every day, recovery has also become a key part of my training. I basically train five days a week. One day was active recovery and one day was complete rest because I couldn’t train like I did five years ago due to knee problems. “Years of elite competition have also taken their toll, he added.After the Commonwealth Games, scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 2, there is little time to turn attention to the Asian Games. The 20th Asian Games will be held in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya City from September 19 to October 4.With the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games both approaching within a few months, Srishankar knows the challenge will be to time his peak.“The challenge is to peak at two different stages, the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. You have to respect your body and give proper recovery to be ready for the next training session. That’s what professional sport is all about, managing recovery and training plans,” he said.
There is no target distance, just believe in the process
Over the years, Sreeshankar has taken his acting to another level. His personal best of 8.41m set at the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar in June 2023 remains the national record.Despite jumping 8.38m this season, Sreeshankar believes there is more improvement to come.“I haven’t put a cap on my jumps because I feel I have the potential to achieve very big jumps this season. I’m not fixated on any specific mark like a national record or any specific distance. I just trust the process and commit to every parameter that I have control over. I’m optimistic that big jumps will be achieved in the major championships,” he said.“I am happy because this is my best jump since the surgery, but there are bigger jumps waiting. Once all the different parameters are aligned correctly, I will achieve that big jump. I am eagerly waiting for that day,” Srishankar said.
