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Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
How memories of a late father, guidance from senior pro helped teen long jumper Shahnavaz Khan to biggest medal of young career
ON THE most important day of his budding career, 18-year-old long jumper Shahnavaz Khan took a moment to remember his late father Naseemudin. Before stepping onto the runway to compete in the final of the World Athletics Bronze Level Continental Tour at the Kalinga Stadium on Sunday, he wrote a message on the back of his bib. It read: '8+ jump, I miss dad.' Youngest of the 12 jumpers in the final comprising some of India's best, the teenager stunned the field with 8.04 metres — his personal best — in the fourth round to go into the lead before Commonwealth Games and Asian Games medallist Murali Sreeshankar fought back to clinch gold with 8.13 metres. Posing for photographers after the contest, an emotional Shahnavaz held up the bib across his chest. Entering the 8-metre club, rewriting his own Under-18 national record, his father's memory inspiring him to give his best, and a silver medal around his neck made it a special evening for the long jumper from Sangrampur village in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh. 'Writing on the back of the bib was my way of a tribute to my father who passed away in 2018 because of an ailment. He drove a truck. I miss him,' Shahnavaz told The Indian Express on Tuesday. The 8-metre mark, like the 80-metre mark in men's javelin, is a benchmark which separates the wheat from the chaff. 'I wanted to cross the 8-metre mark desperately. I jumped 7.90 metres in my last competition, so I knew I was close to the 8-metre mark,' Shahnavaz said. He didn't appear to be overawed by the occasion as he raised his arms over his head and exulted while facing the spectators at the stadium. This wasn't a flash-in-the-pan performance by Shahnavaz, a consistent performer at age-group level. In December 2024, he became the Under-18 national champion with a jump of 7.72 metres and at the start of this year, won the National Games gold with 7.70 metres. He also has Sreeshankar to thank for prompt advice after two consecutive fouls, in the second and third rounds, in Bhubaneswar. 'Bhaiyya, foul ho raha hai bahut (Brother, I am fouling a lot),' Shahnavaz had said. 'Control your run-up and jump,' Sreeshankar had replied. The senior and junior jumpers train at the Sports Authority of India's National Centre of Excellence in Thiruvananthapuram and being able to pick the senior's brains helped Shahnavaz. 'It's good training with Sreeshankar. He tells me a lot of vital things. Whatever mistakes I make, he tells me how to correct them,' Shahnavaz, a JSW Sports athlete, said. Sreeshankar is pleased that Shahnavaz was able to cross the 8-metre mark at a major competition. 'I'm very happy for Shahnavaz, he did above 8 metres. He's very young. We train together, we push each other. And we have a very good rapport,' Sreeshankar said. Shahnavaz is rubbing shoulders with the best now but his early inspiration was his cousin Shahruk Khan, the Under-20 3,000 metres steeplechase national-record holder, who is also from his village. 'I picked up the long jump because I found jumping to be easier than running. Running has never been easy for me,' Shahnavaz said. Soon he was finishing on the podium at district competitions. 'I got a certain thrill from flying over the pit. I love it when I am in the air,' he said. With his first-ever international medal in the bag, Shahnavaz is dreaming big. 'I want to represent India at every major competition like the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. The 8-metre jump has given me confidence,' he said. However, Shahnavaz has a grouse – he is yet to receive the prize money for winning the National Games gold. His mother runs the house, while his younger sister and brother are still in school. 'My mother looks after the house and also works in the fields. That is how she manages to run the household. Every penny is important for our family. It has been more than six months since I won the gold medal at the National Games representing Uttar Pradesh but I haven't got the prize money announced for the gold medallists,' he said. The silver at the Continental Tour event, Shahnavaz hopes, will pave the way for more prize money and bigger medals. 'Hopefully, I can go from strength to strength and emulate Sreeshankar.'
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Sreeshankar Murali saves best for last, wins dramatic long jump at Indian Open World Athletics Continental Tour event in Bhubaneswar
It ain't over till it's over. It is one of the oldest sporting cliches. At the very end of the Indian Open World Athletics Continental Tour event in Bhubaneswar on Sunday, Sreeshankar Murali brought that sentiment to life in men's long jump, as he took a huge leap and landed with 8.13m from takeoff, recording his own season best and the top attempt by any Indian this year in the discipline. On an evening where Indian performances didn't quite get the juices flowing, Sreeshankar provided a final flourish in style. 'This is my lucky ground. I crossed my 8m mark here and then achieved my personal best of 8.41m at the same ground during the 2023 Federation Cup. I think this is Bhubaneswar magic, whenever I come here, I do well,' Sreeshankar said after his win. Until his last jump, it had looked like Sreeshankar would lose to teenager Shahnavaz Khan, who jumped a new personal best of 8.04m. But the experienced Indian brought all his might in the last jump. Sreeshankar tipped his hat to Shahnavaz for pushing him. 'I'm very happy for Shahnavaz also, he did above 8 meters. He's very young and he has a long way to go. We train together in Trivandrum, we push each other, fight with each other. And we have a very good rapport,' he said in praise of the youngster who was on the brink of pulling off a big upset. While the event crew had already started wrapping up the logistics, Sreeshankar's competitors and the crowd stayed back for his last jump. 'I knew he would do it. His mindset is different than others, and I was cheering for his last jump,' said Sunny Kumar, one of the participants watching on in the long jump. For a moment after the last jump, everyone thought that Sreeshankar might have achieved the World Championships qualification mark. He believed so as well, but it wasn't to be. 'I think in the last jump, I took off early. Like way before the foul board and that is why I gained elevation and lost out on distance,' he explained. 'However, I am happy with the fact that I was consistent throughout the competition. I did three jumps above 7.90m and didn't lose my rhythm.' In the very last jump! Sreeshankar jumps 8.13m to win the title at the Indian Open World Continental Tour. A crazy finish to be honest.@IExpressSports — Pritish Raj (@befikramusafir) August 10, 2025 Sreeshankar was appreciative of the crowd that stayed till the end. 'It is not always that we see such a crowd in an Athletics event here. I am happy to see an enthusiastic crowd and we need more of it,' he added as he continues his good form after returning from a career-threatening injury. That injury resulted in him missing the 2024 Paris Olympics. On his return to action, Sreeshankar is having a solid season, winning all four tournaments he has featured in. However, his return in April means that he has had very little time to qualify for the World Championships. Which is why he has become a globetrotter to play in as many high-ranking tournaments as he can. 'It is a very hectic schedule for me. This is my third country in ten days and I have to travel more,' he said with a sheepish smile. Sreeshankar will have another chance at the Inter-State Athletics Championships this month in Chennai. 'I am happy with his performance, and the best thing is that he is pain-free and his knee is feeling good,' his father Murali said. Even otherwise, Sreeshankar is not losing sleep. 'I am going to give my best shot at the qualification, but if it doesn't happen, I will take a break and move on to the next season.' Neeraj Chopra, India's foremost track and field star, was not part of the event. But it still wasn't a surprise that men's javelin throw drew solid attention from the fans. There was some exciting local talent in the fray, including India's number 2 Sachin Yadav, Yashvir Singh, Rohit Yadav and the latest entrant to 80m club, Shivam Lohakare. But it was Rumesh Pathirage who stunned a partisan crowd and turned it in his favour with his theatrics after he broke the Sri Lankan National Record with a throw of 86.50m. The Sri Lankan duo of Rumesh and Sumedha Ranasinghe ramped up the atmosphere, constantly conversing with each other and involving the crowd with every throw. Despite throwing just twice, both finished in the top three with Sumedha recording 80.65m as his best throw. When Sri Lanka were heading for a 1-2, Shivam's fifth throw increased the decibel level as he managed 80.73m and denied the neighbours. Returning from an injury, Rohit Yadav looked in decent shape, finishing fourth with 80.35m. Interestingly, the podium had been arranged for not just the regular 1-2-3 spots. There was an additional room for fourth-place finishers too. The Indian Athletics caravan will move to Chennai, where athletes will have another chance to get a crack at the World Athletics qualification from 20th August.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
State wants Boards trial moved to Anderson City Court
ANDERSON — The Madison County Prosecutor's Office is seeking to move the murder trial of Carl Roy Webb Boards II to the Anderson City Court. Chief Deputy Prosecutor Andrew Hanna filed the motion to move the trial from the Madison County Government Center to the Anderson City Court, stating it would cause fewer problems than having the trial in Madison Circuit Court Division 3. Madison County Sheriff John Beeman has expressed a preference for moving the trial. Boards is charged with the July 2022 shooting death of Elwood police officer Noah Shahnavaz. In the motion, Hanna noted the trial could take three to six weeks. The motion states seating in the Anderson City Court is approximately 120 for members of the public, compared to 38 in the courtroom. Hanna's motion also states there are three secure holding cells at the city court and none in the courthouse. He said the Anderson City Court would be able to accommodate the number of lawyers involved in the case and provide additional room for the necessary court proceedings. Hanna believes there will be more than two alternate jurors selected for the trial and that the jury box in the circuit court can only seat 14 people, while the city court jury box could be arranged for more than that number. Anderson City Court Judge Jason Jamerson has already agreed to the use of his courtroom and Anderson Police Chief Mike Lee said his department will provide any necessary support during the trial. 'Approximately 150 people work in the Madison County Government Center on a daily basis,' the motion states. 'As evidenced by procedures utilized at pre-trial hearings in this cause, both courthouse staff and the general public are temporarily restricted from moving in the Madison County Government Center when the defendant is being transported.' On July 31, 2022, Shahnavaz stopped a 2012 Buick LaCrosse near the intersection of Indiana 37 and County Road 1100 North. Police have not provided a reason for the traffic stop. Officers from Elwood and Madison County found the wounded Shahnavaz and administered life-saving measures until medical personnel arrived. Shahnavaz was taken by ambulance to Ascension St. Vincent Mercy Hospital in Elwood and later flown by helicopter to an Indianapolis-area hospital, where he died. Just after 2:30 a.m., Hamilton County officers located the Buick and attempted a traffic stop. The Buick continued southbound on Indiana 37. Hamilton County sheriff's deputies pursued the Buick and deployed a tire-deflation device near the area of Indiana 37 and 146th Street. Officers took Boards into custody without further incident.
