Sreeshankar’s return to international competition after a brief break continues to build momentum.
On a humid evening in Maia, Portugal, the 25-year-old Indian long jumper claimed top honours at the Meeting Maia Cidade do Desporto 2025, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze-level meet. Sreeshankar produced a best jump of 7.75 metres, adding another win to his comeback campaign that began earlier this month on home soil.
For Indian athletics, and for Sreeshankar himself, this victory is more than just a mark on the season’s results sheet: it represents resilience, ambition, and a steady return to the international stage.
From Pune to Portugal: A Comeback in Motion
Sreeshankar had announced his return to competition on 12 July at the Indian Open in Pune, where he registered a solid 8.05m jump a performance that immediately placed him among the season’s top Indian athletes. That jump not only met qualifying standards for upcoming events but also signalled that the Asian Games silver medallist still had the competitive edge that made him a continental force in recent years.
The Maia meet was his second competition since the comeback and, crucially, his first outside India in the 2025 season. Competing in unfamiliar conditions, on a European runway, always brings its own set of challenges: weather, travel fatigue, and field strength. Yet Sreeshankar handled these with composure.
His series in Maia included a 7.63m jump followed by the day’s best of 7.75m. While this distance is short of his personal best of 8.41m, it proved enough to claim the title in a respectable field, underlining that the road back to peak form is heading in the right direction.
Momentum from a Decorated Career
Sreeshankar’s latest triumph fits into a career narrative already studded with landmark performances. A national record holder and one of the very few Indian long jumpers to have consistently crossed the 8-metre barrier, he has medals from the Asian Games, Asian Championships, and Commonwealth Games.
The Asian silver medal in Hangzhou, the bronze at the Asian Championships in Bangkok, and a fourth-place finish at the 2022 Commonwealth Games have established him as a reliable performer in multi-nation competitions. Victories like the one in Maia further reinforce his status and help keep the spotlight on Indian field events, often overshadowed by track disciplines.
At first glance, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze meet (category C) may seem like a small step compared to Diamond League events or continental championships. But these competitions hold strategic significance for athletes rebuilding form or chasing world ranking points.
For Sreeshankar, the Maia meet offered:
- An early-season international test post-comeback.
- Valuable ranking points critical for qualification to higher-level meets later in the season.
- Confidence-building ahead of bigger events, potentially including the upcoming Asian Indoor Games and World Championships.
Winning in Maia thus serves both practical and psychological purposes: it reassures the athlete of his form and keeps him visible on the international radar.
Technical Notes and the Road Ahead
The numbers from Maia show that Sreeshankar is not yet at his season’s best, but they also highlight consistency: two competitive jumps (7.63m and 7.75m) in challenging conditions. For a comeback phase, avoiding foul jumps, staying technically sound, and building rhythm matter as much as chasing the longest mark.
With the European summer offering multiple meets, Sreeshankar is expected to compete again in the Continental Tour circuit. His immediate targets:
- Breaching the 8-metre mark regularly, which has been his trademark.
- Accumulating sufficient ranking points to secure starts in higher-category competitions.
- Testing himself against stronger fields, especially athletes currently ranked in the world’s top 10.
A broader goal remains improving his World Rankings, which dipped slightly during his injury layoff. Consistent performances, even without personal bests, can help close that gap.
A Symbol for Indian Athletics
In recent years, India’s field event athletes led by stars like Neeraj Chopra, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, and Sreeshankar himself have shown that the country can produce world-class talent beyond the track. Sreeshankar’s victory in Maia, though at a modest meet, continues this narrative.
His journey resonates with many young Indian athletes: balancing injuries, facing global competition, and still returning to the runway with focus and courage. Each international medal or title, big or small, contributes to India’s rising reputation in athletics.
Looking Ahead with Optimism
After the win, Sreeshankar shared his gratitude for the support and acknowledged that the comeback journey is ongoing. For Indian athletics fans, the message is clear: the season is young, and Sreeshankar is warming up.
With more Continental Tour meets on his calendar and the long-term target of world championship participation, the athlete from Palakkad looks determined to return to his best and perhaps, surpass it.
For now, a win on European soil marks the perfect restart. And as the season unfolds, all eyes will be on how high and how far Sreeshankar can fly.
