By Indian high jumper Tejaswin Shankar, 22, rewrote the national record in his initial try at heptathlon at the DeLoss Dodds invited, in Kansas town. The high jump specialist massed five,650 points over 2 days to erase PJ Vinod’s tally of 5,561.
Hepathlon includes seven events however Tejaswin, the Indian national record holder within the high jump, believed he had an honest probability to interrupt another mark.
“I explored the national record on Wikipedia so force out my calculator. I adscititious up points I might doubtless score and that i knew I had an honest probability. i used to be most distressed regarding the pole jump event because it was a completely alien sport to American state,” Tejaswin aforementioned.
At the Kansas State University, wherever Tejaswin is following a degree in business management, all promising athletes endure athletic competition (five events) coaching prior the out of doors season. Since the last 2 years, Tejaswin has been actively taking part within the programme and feels it created the transition to heptathlon all the additional easier.
“I was anyway coaching for 5 events and had to only add 2 additional. we tend to try this athletic competition coaching to make our bodies and assess our fitness levels. Our coach tells US it’s vital to become a wholesome jock,” Tejaswin explains.
At major sporting events, as well as the athletic competition and also the Asian Games, men participate within the athletic contest, that consists of ten events.
The initial success within the heptathlon has not got rid of his focus from his pet even, the high jump. In fact, this can be his last multi-discipline competition this season.
“The out of doors season is on the brink of begin and that i can go the additional yard to attain the Olympic qualification mark,” he says.
Tejaswin’s best jump and conjointly the Indian national record stands at a pair of1.29 metres, whereas to attain the Olympic cut he can ought to leap over a pair of.33m.
Strict protocols
When Tejaswin won the heptathlon title at the DeLoss Dodds invited on weekday he couldn’t even celebrate the effort along with his teammates. The strict COVID protocols permit solely competitors within a venue associate hour before the commencement of their individual events. There area unit constant tests and watching, aside from social distancing.
“At our university, the athletes fought to endure a COVID take a look at doubly per week. Then every organiser has their own set of protocols and tests that we’ve got to stay in mind,” he says.
“Even coaching was drained a phased manner. Time slots were assigned to minimise interaction. The coaching job sessions would begin at six within the morning and persist until 9 in the dark. you have got to sorrow the coaches. they need their task cut out thanks to the slot system.”
Close shave
Although Tejaswin currently strictly follows all the rules prescribed by the university a bit in jan month nearly evidenced pricey. “We were clearly told that we should always avoid social interactions. however it had been an extended time since I had met my teammates. thus regarding 7-8 people set to own dinner along however future day one in all them was positive. we tend to all became shut contacts and had to isolate ourselves for 2 weeks,” Tejaswin says.
The isolation meant Tejaswin and his mates couldn’t continue their coaching and categories for 2 weeks.
“For associate jock, period of time of no coaching could be a immense factor. Our coach formation Rovelto was extremely foiled and upset with US,” he says
Tejaswin admitted that he learnt his lesson and has vowed to ne’er take the rules as a right.
