The 2025 season reaffirmed Indian Athletics status as the dominant force in Asian men’s triple jump, but it also exposed structural vulnerabilities that will shape the country’s medal prospects at the 2026 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
With Praveen Chithravel and Abdulla Aboobacker once again establishing themselves above the 17-meter benchmark, India remains well positioned to challenge for multiple podium finishes in the next major championship cycle. Yet the year also highlighted concerns around competitive depth, training sustainability, and the uncertain recovery of Commonwealth Games gold medallist Eldhose Paul, whose injury situation has now become a critical flashpoint in athlete welfare planning.
Chithravel Confirms His Ceiling, But Must Convert it in Championship Settings
Praveen Chithravel’s 2025 season was defined by one result: his 17.37 m jump at the Federation Cup, which equalled his own national record set in 2023. Repeating a national-record-level performance two years later is significant, because it confirms not just potential, but technical and physical stability at the elite level. The performance also cleared the World Athletics Championships qualification standard of 17.22 m outright, ensuring a straightforward entry to Tokyo later this year.
However, the season also revealed a key concern. At the National Inter-State Championships, Chithravel’s best was 16.35 m in rain-affected conditions. A nearly one-meter drop from his top mark underscores a familiar pattern: his technical model is highly efficient when the runway is fast and dry, but reliability declines when conditions shift.
At global finals, where pressure and weather variability are constant, the difference between 16.80m and 17.30m often decides medals. For 2026, the priority is not chasing a new national record but achieving consistent 17.25 m+ performances across all surfaces and conditions.
Aboobacker: The Anchor of Stability
If Chithravel represents India’s ceiling, Abdulla Aboobacker represents its competitive floor. Matching his personal best of 17.19 m this season, the 29-year-old continues to offer reliability at a level that historically secures at least silver or bronze in Asian competition. His experience in championship environments, evident in his 2022 Commonwealth Games silver and 2023 Asian Championship gold remains invaluable.
Just as importantly, Aboobacker has emerged as a critical voice regarding athlete development and burnout. He has publicly highlighted the damaging trend among private academies of pushing young jumpers into aggressive high-intensity training cycles too early. This approach may produce early breakthrough distances but often results in overuse injuries, stagnation, or shortened careers.
His critique is grounded in performance data: while India has two stable 17-meter jumpers, the next group remains 50 to 90 centimeters behind.
The Depth Gap: A Rising Prospect and Two Veterans
The second tier currently features Selva Prabhu (16.49 m), Karthik Unnikrishnan (16.44 m), and Yuva Raj (16.27 m).
Among them, Selva Prabhu is the most promising. Training in the NCAA system, he has gained from structured load management and season planning—improving significantly without injury. His 16.49 m performance at the NCAA West Prelims, followed by a top-five finish at the national collegiate level, signals a pathway that India should protect. With targeted support, Prabhu could cross 17.00 m by late 2026 or 2027.
Karthik Unnikrishnan, meanwhile, offers veteran stability. His 16.44 m in rain to win the National Inter-State Championships demonstrates adaptability under difficult conditions. While no longer likely to challenge the top two, he remains essential as competitive depth.
Yuva Raj’s 16.27 m mark is progression, but he remains a full season or more away from Asian contention.
The Eldhose Paul Crisis: A National Warning
The most urgent and complex issue concerns Eldhose Paul, the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist. His career is now stalled due to bipartite patella, a rare knee condition that has already required two unsuccessful surgeries in India. The only viable medical pathway remaining requires treatment at a specialist sports orthopedic center abroad, similar to the intervention that restored long jumper M. Sreeshankar’s career.
However, Paul’s exclusion from the TOPS funding program, combined with the withdrawal of all private sponsors after his injury, has left him unable to pursue the required treatment. Without immediate intervention, India risks not only losing a former champion but also sending a damaging message to current athletes regarding institutional support during injury recovery.
Paul’s return to competitive form in time for 2026 is now unlikely unless emergency funding is approved immediately.
2026 Outlook: Clear Opportunities, But No Margin for Attrition
India is positioned to compete for:
- Asian Games Gold (historically won around 17.00 m–17.20 m)
- Commonwealth Games Gold (projected winning range 17.15 m–17.30 m)
Chithravel is equipped to win either event if he delivers near his best in the final.
Aboobacker remains a strong medal favorite in both competitions.
However, the medal forecast currently assumes both remain healthy and at their peak simultaneously. With no third 17-meter jumper ready to step in, India’s medal hopes are one injury away from collapse.
What Must Happen Next
- Immediate financial intervention to secure Eldhose Paul’s surgery abroad.
- Structured support for Selva Prabhu to ensure a smooth transition to the senior circuit.
- Targeted performance consistency training for Chithravel: championship execution > raw distance.
- Implementation of national guidelines on training load to address burnout risks highlighted by Aboobacker.
India’s triple jump program stands at a turning point. The ceiling is high, higher than ever. But without depth, protection of athlete health, and strategic long-term planning, the next cycle could just as easily become a missed opportunity.
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The 2026 medals are within reach. The decisions made in the next six months will determine whether they are secured.
