16-year-old Thai sailor wins Asian Games gold

Long jumper M. Sreeshankar, a silver medallist from the Asian Games, expressed confidence that his fourth career silver medal could lead to a gold in 2028. Despite suffering an injury during his fourth attempt at the Asian Games in Japan, Sreeshankar secured the silver medal. Speaking to reporters after returning from Japan, Sreeshankar stated that his physical condition and preparation were conducive to achieving a jump of 8.20 meters or more, but a slip during the attempt resulted in a fall.

He noted that while he had missed gold in the past by narrow margins, these experiences were bringing him closer to a major victory. The challenging weather conditions, including heavy rain and humidity, made the competition unpredictable, but Sreeshankar felt that attempting a jump of 8.20 meters provided him with confidence. He expected jumps in the range of 8.10 meters or 8.15 meters, and considered his 8.07 meters effort satisfactory under the circumstances.

Sreeshankar emphasized that overcoming and adapting to the adverse conditions were crucial for winning a medal in such competitions. He observed that all five athletes had previously recorded jumps of around 8.30 meters or 8.40 meters, making the event closely contested, with the athletes behind him finishing at 8.05 meters and 8.06 meters, separated by only one centimeter.

Sreeshankar mentioned that his muscles began cramping during his third attempt, forcing him to approach the jump cautiously to avoid further injury. He received congratulations from Palakkad MP V.K. Sreekandan and MLA Ramesh Pisharody.