Sarvesh Kushare, the 29-year-old high jumper from Maharashtra, produced the performance of his life at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, clearing 2.28m to finish sixth in the men’s high jump final.
In doing so, Kushare not only set a new personal best but also became the first Indian high jumper ever to reach a World Championships final. His journey in Tokyo may have ended without a medal, but the achievement stands as one of the most significant breakthroughs in Indian track and field history.
The Road to the Final
Kushare’s qualification for the final itself was historic. India has traditionally excelled in throwing events Neeraj Chopra’s javelin triumphs and the recent rise of Kishore Jena and DP Manu testify to that. Vertical jumps, however, have rarely been an arena where Indian athletes have left their mark.
That changed in Tokyo. Sarvesh entered the championships as the second-best jumper in the country, having won silver at the 2023 Asian Championships and represented India at the 2023 World Championships, though without advancing far. This time, he arrived with more experience, better preparation, and quiet determination.
His qualifying round performance ensured he made the cut, setting up a historic appearance in the final. The sight of an Indian lining up among the world’s best high jumpers was already a milestone. What followed was even more remarkable.
A Career-Defining Night
The men’s high jump final at the National Stadium was stacked with talent. Defending champions, Olympic medalists, and consistent performers filled the lineup. Yet, Sarvesh held his nerve.
He began smoothly at 2.20m, clearing it on his first attempt, showing no signs of nerves. At 2.24m, he needed a second attempt but got over cleanly. The pressure mounted at 2.28m, a height he had attempted multiple times in the past but never cleared. On his third attempt, under the glaring lights and watched by thousands in the stadium and millions worldwide, Sarvesh soared over the bar.
The celebration that followed was raw and powerful. With folded hands and a thunderous cry of “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai!”, Sarvesh marked not just a personal breakthrough but a moment of pride for Indian athletics. His previous best of 2.27m had stood for years, and to break it on the grandest stage spoke volumes about his mental strength.
He would attempt 2.31m, the national record height, but despite three brave efforts, he could not clear it. Still, the 2.28m jump was enough to place him sixth in the world the best finish ever by an Indian in high jump at a global championship.
Sarvesh’s achievement finds a proud place alongside India’s finest World Championships performances. Neeraj Chopra’s silver in 2022 and gold in 2023 remain the standard-bearers. Kishore Jena’s fifth place in 2023 and DP Manu’s sixth in the same edition also showcased India’s rise in javelin.
Now, Sarvesh Kushare’s sixth-place finish in Tokyo extends that success into a new event, signaling that Indian athletics is no longer a one-event story.
For decades, Indian jumpers had struggled to cross the high international bar. The likes of Hari Shankar Roy once held promise, but global success eluded them. Sarvesh’s breakthrough is a message that with persistence and preparation, Indian athletes can compete across disciplines at the highest level.
Kushare’s feat is part of a broader surge in India’s vertical jumps in 2025. In women’s high jump, Pooja emerged as the Asian Champion, clearing 1.89m, a mark that has put her among the top Asian performers.
In men’s pole vault, Dev Meena not only finished fifth at the World University Games but also set a national record of 5.40m.
Now, Sarvesh’s sixth place with a personal best in Tokyo completes a trio of landmark performances. Together, they suggest that Indian track and field is developing depth beyond its traditional throwing strongholds.
Sarvesh’s journey has been one of persistence. Coming from Maharashtra, he steadily rose through the national circuit, often overshadowed by others but always working on refining his craft. His silver at the 2023 Asian Championships hinted at his potential, and representing India at multiple global events hardened him.
What stands out is his ability to deliver when it mattered most. Many athletes falter at the World Championships under the weight of expectations. Sarvesh, however, saved his best jump for the brightest lights. That mentality to thrive on pressure rather than shrink under it is what defines champions.
At 29, Sarvesh still has a few strong years ahead of him. With the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics three years away, his Tokyo performance sets a solid foundation. Clearing 2.28m places him within striking distance of the national record of 2.30m+, and if he can build on this momentum, India might dream of a historic Olympic final appearance in men’s high jump.
For now, his sixth-place finish will inspire a generation. For young athletes in India looking at high jump or other lesser-celebrated events, Sarvesh is proof that persistence and belief can carry them to the world stage.
On a night when the spotlight could have easily been elsewhere, Sarvesh Kushare ensured that Indian athletics claimed its share of glory. His leap of 2.28m, a personal best, and his finish among the world’s top six, marked a moment that will be remembered for years.
India’s athletics story has often revolved around javelin in recent times. But thanks to Sarvesh, the high jump bar has now been raised literally and figuratively.
In Tokyo, an Indian jumper not only competed but soared with the best. And in that leap, Sarvesh Kushare carried the hopes of a nation higher than ever before.
