Murali Sreeshankar defends gold in Greece event, compatriot Aldrin settles for silver

Murali Sreeshankar (Pic: John Sibley/Reuters)

India's Murali Sreeshankar on Wednesday bagged gold with the season's best performance of 8.18m at the International Jumping Meeting at Kallithea, near Greece's capital.

The 24-year-old Sreeshankar defended the gold he had won last year with his sixth and last effort of 8.18m, his sixth career-best performance, at the World Athletics Continental bronze-level competition. He had won the gold last year with a best jump of 8.31m.

Sreeshankar's series were 7.94m, 8.17m, 8.11m, 8.04m, 8.01m, and 8.18m. He, however, could not breach the 2023 World Athletics Championships qualifying standard of 8.25m. This was Sreeshankar's second international gold of the season.

The Commonwealth Games silver medallist had won the yellow metal at the MVA High-Performance Meet in Chula Vista, USA with a wind-assisted jump of 8.29m on April 30, which was not considered for record purposes.

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He has a personal best of 8.36m which he had produced last year.

Meanwhile, national record holder Jeswin Aldrin was second with a best jump of 7.85m. Aldrin, whose national mark stands at 8.42m which he had set in March, had series of 7.81m, 7.85m, 7.74m, 7.74m, 7.79m, and foul. Jalen Rucker of Australia was third with a best jump of 7.80m.

(With PTI inputs)