Tejaswin Shankar Clears 2.23m to Lead Heptathlon After Day 1 at Asian Indoors 2026

India’s premier combined events athlete Tejaswin Shankar delivered a commanding opening day performance at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships 2026, surging to the top of the heptathlon standings with 3513 points after four events.

The highlight of his campaign came in the high jump, where the national record holder cleared 2.23m to finish first in the discipline and add a massive 1021 points to his tally. The height matched the gold-medal winning mark in the standalone high jump competition earlier in the championships underlining the quality of Tejaswin’s effort within a gruelling multi-event format.

With three events remaining, the Commonwealth Games and Asian Championships medallist is now in prime position to challenge not only for gold, but also for his own national indoor heptathlon record of 5650 points, set in 2021.

A Measured Start: 60m Personal Best

Tejaswin began his campaign with a lifetime best of 7.11 seconds in the 60m, finishing fifth in a tightly contested sprint. China’s Zhang Wenxi clocked 6.95s to top the field the only sub-7 performance of the event but Tejaswin’s 7.11s represented valuable early points and, more importantly, technical sharpness.

In combined events, marginal gains in the sprint often set the tone for the day. For Tejaswin, the personal best provided exactly that a controlled, confidence-boosting opener that kept him within striking distance of the leaders.

The momentum carried into the long jump, where Tejaswin stamped his authority on the competition. He registered a best leap of 7.53m, finishing first in the event and earning 942 points. The jump was also an indoor personal best, and it elevated his cumulative score to 1786 points after two events placing him firmly in the overall lead.

Technically, the jump reflected balance between speed on the runway and board accuracy critical components in indoor facilities where margins for error are minimal. It also demonstrated the all-round development that has defined Tejaswin’s transition from specialist high jumper to elite decathlete and heptathlete.

Shot Put: Holding Position

The third event, shot put, is traditionally not Tejaswin’s strongest discipline. However, he delivered a solid best effort of 13.63m to finish fourth another indoor personal best.

The throw added crucial points, pushing his total to 2492 after three events. In combined events competition, minimizing damage in weaker disciplines is often as important as dominating stronger ones. Tejaswin did precisely that — limiting ground lost while maintaining overall control.

Then came the defining moment of the day.

In the high jump his signature event Tejaswin cleared 2.23m to win the discipline outright and collect 1021 points. The clearance not only reinforced his pedigree as India’s high jump national record holder (2.29m outdoors), but also dramatically widened his overall lead. For context, 2.23m would have been enough to win the individual high jump title at these championships. To produce that mark within the heptathlon, after three prior events, underlines both conditioning and competitive maturity.

At the close of Day 1, Tejaswin stood atop the leaderboard with 3513 points in a commanding position.

National Record in Sight?

Tejaswin currently holds India’s indoor heptathlon national record of 5650 points. With 3513 already accumulated, the mathematics suggest a realistic shot at surpassing that mark if he maintains form across the remaining events.

The final three disciplines 60m hurdles, pole vault, and 1000m will test different aspects of his skill set.

• The hurdles demand rhythm and speed endurance.
• Pole vault requires technical precision and composure under pressure.
• The 1000m will test cardiovascular resilience after two days of competition.

Historically, Tejaswin has shown the ability to manage energy distribution across combined events. If he executes cleanly in pole vault and avoids major point leakage in hurdles, the record conversation becomes tangible.

Tejaswin’s progression represents a broader shift in Indian athletics, where multi-event athletes are beginning to close the gap with continental standards. His indoor campaign marked by personal bests in 60m, long jump, and shot put signals technical refinement rather than reliance on one standout discipline. The balance across events is what differentiates medal contenders from specialists.

At the halfway stage of the heptathlon, Tejaswin Shankar is not merely competing he is controlling the competition. With three events remaining, the question is no longer whether he can medal.

It is whether he can rewrite his own national record and perhaps establish a new benchmark for Indian combined events athletics.