Bengaluru: Indian athlete Murali Sreeshankar made an impressive start to his season by clinching the men's long jump title at the Indian Athletics Series, registering a top jump of 8.15 metres at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.
The 27-year-old produced his best effort on his fourth attempt, emerging as the only competitor in the field to cross the 8.00-metre mark. Notably, his jump also surpassed the Asian Games qualifying standard of 7.91 metres, underlining his readiness for upcoming international competitions.
Sreeshankar's performance is being seen as a positive sign as he builds momentum for the season ahead.
In the men's triple jump, Abdulla Aboobacker secured first place with a leap of 16.82 metres, showcasing consistency in his event.
Meanwhile, Sarvesh Kushare topped the men's high jump by clearing 2.23 metres, maintaining his strong form in domestic competitions.
Among the women's events, Ancy Sojan delivered a narrow victory in the long jump, edging past Shaili Singh by just two centimetres in a closely fought contest.
In the women's pole vault, Baranica Elangovan impressed with a commendable performance, continuing to make her mark on the national stage.
In the men's javelin throw, Bibin Antony clinched top honours with a best throw of 77.53 metres.
The competition saw several athletes delivering strong performances, reflecting the growing depth of talent in Indian athletics.
The Indian Athletics Series will now move to Udaipur for its next leg, followed by events in Sangrur and Ranchi.
These meets are expected to provide further opportunities for athletes to achieve qualifying standards and fine-tune their performances ahead of major international competitions.
Murali Sreeshankar's winning start highlights his strong form and readiness for the season, while the overall performances at the Bengaluru leg underline the rising standards of Indian athletics. With more events lined up, athletes will look to build consistency and secure qualification marks in the coming weeks.

