Murali Sreeshankar started his season impressively by clinching victory in the men’s long jump at the inaugural Indian Athletics Series 2026 in Bengaluru. Competing at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, the 27-year-old achieved his best jump on his fourth attempt, surpassing both the 8.00m mark and the Asian Games qualifying standard of 7.91m. Sreeshankar displayed consistency by meeting the qualifying benchmark in all six attempts, with jumps ranging from 8.03m to 8.10m.
The competition marked Sreeshankar’s return to action after his last event at the World Athletics Championships 2025 in September. His winning jump of 8.15m exceeded his 2025 season-best of 8.13m, although his personal record stands at 8.41m. Despite meeting the Athletics Federation of India’s qualification standard, securing a spot in the Asian Games squad requires participation in at least three domestic competitions, including state championships.
In other events, Abdulla Aboobacker claimed victory in the men’s triple jump with a leap of 16.82m, while Sarvesh Kushare, an Olympian at the Paris 2024 Games, won the men’s high jump by clearing 2.23m. The Bengaluru meet inaugurated the 16-event Indian Athletics Series, featuring finals across various track and field disciplines. The series will progress to Udaipur, Sangrur, and Ranchi for subsequent rounds.
