Tejaswin Shankar assured of breaking 8000-point barrier

With the wait to higher his excessive soar nationwide file getting longer and torturous, Tejaswin Shankar is now trying to the decathlon for consolation.

He is now aiming to change into the primary Indian to interrupt the 8000-point barrier within the multi-eventer and feels he may get there quickly.

“I actually really feel that I can get to 8000 earlier than (excessive soar’s) 2.30m however I don’t wish to jinx myself as a result of I’ve been ready for practically eight years for that 2.30.

“That’s the entire motive I made a decision to do the mixed occasions so I actually wish to get that first,” mentioned Shankar, the Asian Games decathlon silver medallist, in a chat with The Hindu.

“The 2.29 (his excessive soar nationwide file) is the worst quantity to ever be, I’d relatively be on 2.28 than be at 2.29 and never be at 2.30.”

The 26-year-old broke the decathlon National file (new file 7666 factors) on the final Asian Games and his performances within the current National Federation Athletics Championships in Kochi point out that he’s getting nearer to 8000.

“For me, the most important positives in Kochi have been the javelin and the 1500m, the final two occasions,” mentioned Shankar, additionally decathlon’s Asian bronze medallist and the excessive soar bronze medallist on the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“My first throw was a private finest by 2m and I used to be additionally very comfortable in regards to the 1500 as a result of it’s essentially the most dreaded occasion.

“In Kochi, the most important problem for me was not about making an attempt to run behind any individual and run a very good time, relatively I needed to run the worst time and lead the race and that’s what I used to be making an attempt to do, particularly after the primary lap. And I stunned myself on the finish.”

That introduced him a private finest too. Shankar would have hit one other excessive within the pole vault too however there was an issue.

“My finest is 4.10m however I jumped 4m. The motive I couldn’t take the subsequent top was simply because I didn’t have a much bigger pole,” he mentioned.

After specializing in the excessive soar in an try and qualify for the Paris Olympics final yr, Shankar is absolutely into the multi-eventer this season.

“This yr and onwards, particularly till LA 2028 Olympics, the purpose could be to try to change into one of the best mixed occasions athlete I may be. That doesn’t imply I’m not going to the excessive soar in between however that’s not my main purpose.

“Even if I do 2.30m in these competitions, that doesn’t imply my main purpose is to maneuver to the excessive soar however to try to get as many factors as I can.”

Shankar is now in search of a contest in Europe to enhance his decathlon file.

“The purpose is to try to get a contest in Europe later this yr the place I can, with out worrying in regards to the outcomes,” simply rating as large as I can as a result of the circumstances shall be a bit extra pleasant. Because climate positively performs a job,” he mentioned.