Inter-state Athletics: Lugging around poles is a new challenge for decathlete Tejaswin Shankar

For Commonwealth Games bronze medall high jumper Tejaswin Shankar, reaching the Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneswar for the Inter-State meet with his equipment was in itself half the battle won.Aiming to represent India in the less glamorous yet gruelling decathlon for the upcoming Asian Games, Tejaswin landed in Delhi about 10 days back from Kansas City, US, where he recently quit his “extremely well paid” job.But when he landed in the Capital after his transit flight from Finland, he had to wait unusually long for his baggage which eventually was handed to him after almost four days. The contents of the package were a set of poles for vaulting that could not fit through any conveyer belt at the Delhi airport, leaving officials with a puzzle to crack. The Pole vault is one of the 10 events which comprise the decathlon.
“I went there for four days and almost sat on a dharna (protest there),” joked the two-time NCAA champion. But after a few calls to the higher-ups, his poles were released from a separate gate after some additional paperwork.
Tejaswin with pole vaulters. (Express Photo)
“I have never faced such issues while travelling in the US but when I came here and spoke to Siva (current pole vault national record) he told me this is a daily affair for vaulters. My respect for vaulters has increased leaps and bounds now,” Tejaswin, who worked in the audit team of Deollite after finishing his business studies at Kansas State University, said.
Bargaining skills
When he arrived in Bhubaneswar for the Inter-State meet which will act as a selection trial for the upcoming Asian Games, he faced one final hurdle in bringing the poles to the stadium. “My room is just a kilometre away from the stadium and the cab driver was asking for Rs 700. All Delhi bargaining skills, which were lying dormant in the US for the last six years, came to life,” Tejaswin said.
Tejaswin is now focused on breaking the decathlon national record which he missed a whisker in April. At the Jim Click Shootout competition in Arizona, USA in April he accumulated 7,648 points — 10 fewer than Bharatinder Singh’s 2011 national record. In the process, he also breached the Athletics Federation of India’s Asian Games cut of 7,500 but Tejaswin is not going to take any chances especially after what transpired in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games last year.
“Primary goal is to finish first. My mind and body are completely set and I will go after the record but the only hurdle right now is the humid weather. But that is not bothering me as the conditions are the same for everyone. One thing I have learnt from the CWG episode is that you have been just ready to perform at any time and under any circumstance,” Tejaswin said.
Tejaswin is referring to the whole selection fiasco that happened ahead of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games last year when he had to take the federation to court to compete despite being the only high jumper to have achieved the AFI’s qualifying standard. His name was included at the very last moment as he watched the opening ceremony from his home in Delhi.
Despite the uncertainty and race against time, Tejaswin managed to win India’s first-ever high jump medal at the CWG. “That medal changed me entirely. It made me believe in my abilities. I just kept my mind clear. I wasn’t going to think about jet lag, lack of preparation etc. I just went out and performed and it paid off. That medal has made me a different person and athlete,” he said.
After a six-year stint in the US where he joined Deollite after completing his master’s in accounting from Kansas State University, Tejaswin has returned to India. His visa was due to expire but he did not seek an extension since he wanted to spend more time with his family and ailing grandmother.
Tejaswin feels his stay in the US has completely changed his outlook towards not only sports but life. One of the things he first noticed was the stark contrast in how elite athletes in India are treated as compared to the US. He had first-hand experience at his first job itself.
“They hired me purely for my academic abilities. I would sometimes work for 12 hours and then go to practice. People at the office clapped for me after I returned from a competition and even said they watched me on tv but their next line was, ‘Where is the report’ (laughs). Here, athletes stay in a camp and all the facilities are provided. Their American athletes get a bare minimum stipend and have to work to earn a living,” said Tejaswin.
“Hammer Throw 2022 world champion Brooke Anderson is a friend of mine, and you will not believe what she does. She cooks for others while continuing her training. So one thing I have learnt there is, nothing comes easy,” he said. That lesson will come in handy during his two-day 10-event competition in the humid conditions of Bhubaneshwar.
Watch out for
Barring a few big names, the Inter-State meet will see several star athletes competing to secure a spot in the Asian Games squad.
Jyothi Yarraji (100m hurdles): Arguably one of the best athletes on the circuit, Jyothi is the first and only Indian athlete to clock a sub 13s 100m hurdles. She has run four sub-13 hurdles this season so far.
Sreeshankar Murali (long jump): Fresh from a confidence-boosting Paris Diamond League third-place finish, Sreeshankar would be eager to reclaim his national record from his friend Jeswin Aldrin, who recorded a massive jump of 8.42m a few months ago.
Shaili Singh (long jump): After going through a lean patch due to injuries, prodigious jumper Shaili Singh is back in business. Just like the men’s event, the women’s long jump promises to be a high-octane contest with Ancy Joseph and seasoned Nayana James in the mix
Praveen Chitravel (triple jump): He jumped 17.37m in Havana — better than the national mark — but it waits to be seen if it is ratified. CWG medalls Abdulla Aboobacker, Eldhose Paul, World U20 silver medal Selva Prabhu, and Karthik Unnikrishnan make it a strong field.