Indian decathlon national record holder Tejaswin Shankar produced a stellar opening day at the 4th Wiesław Czapiewski Memorial a prestigious World Athletics Combined Events Tour Gold meet finishing with 4292 points and leading the field by a comfortable 155 points.
From setting personal and season bests to fighting through narrow misses, Day 1 was a showcase of Tejaswin’s talent, consistency, and hunger to push Indian athletics to new heights.
Strong start: 100m and Long Jump
Tejaswin opened his decathlon with a personal best in the 100m: 11.02s. Shaving off even a fraction of a second matters deeply in decathlon scoring, and this gave him a solid launchpad.
In the Long Jump, he continued the momentum with a season best of 7.57m just five cm shy of his personal best of 7.62m set in 2023. This jump added crucial points, keeping him ahead in the field of strong European and Oceania competitors.
Shot Put and High Jump: Near-misses but solid points
Shot Put, typically one of Tejaswin’s more reliable events, was a mixed bag. Despite a personal best of 13.79m (2023), he managed a modest 12.62m this time. It was below his season best, and he looked a touch disappointed but it still added important points to the tally.
Then came the High Jump Tejaswin’s signature event and where he is most feared by rivals. His best-ever mark of 2.29m (achieved in 2018) remains the national record, and he holds a season best of 2.19m.
In Poland, he cleared a brilliant 2.18m, scoring 973 points the highest single-event score in his Day 1. Tejaswin was visibly eager to push further, making genuine attempts at 2.21m, but had to settle for 2.18m. That disappointment, however, is testament to his drive to keep challenging limits.
Closing strong: 400m SB and Day 1 lead
Tejaswin closed the day with the taxing 400m, a test of speed endurance after a draining day. Here too, he excelled, clocking a season best of 48.87s, close to his personal best of 48.41s.
At the end of Day 1, his event-by-event marks stood as:
- 100m: 11.02s (PB)
- Long Jump: 7.57m (SB)
- Shot Put: 12.62m
- High Jump: 2.18m
- 400m: 48.87s (SB)
These brought his total to 4292 points, with the next closest competitor, Czech Republic’s Vilém Stráský, at 4137 points giving Tejaswin a healthy 155-point cushion heading into Day 2.
Chasing records and bigger dreams
Tejaswin’s national record in decathlon stands at 7666 points, set last year. His season best so far before this event was 7618 points. The performance on Day 1 especially given the PB in 100m and SBs in LJ and 400m keeps the NR watch very much alive. A big Day 2 could see him threaten or even break his own Indian national record. The remaining five events 110m hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw, and 1500m will be decisive. His personal bests here are:
- 110m hurdles: 14.58s
- Discus: 39.28m
- Pole vault: 4.10m
- Javelin: 54.85m
- 1500m: 4:35.96
If he matches or nears these, Tejaswin could end up with a score challenging his best-ever performance.
Significance beyond numbers
This meet is part of the World Athletics Combined Events Tour Gold, bringing ranking points, prize money, and valuable experience against some of Europe’s strongest all-rounders. It’s also a crucial stepping stone ahead of bigger stages like the Asian Games 2026 and possible World Championships appearances.
For Indian athletics, Tejaswin Shankar remains a special figure. Known first for his exploits as a high jumper he still holds the Indian senior national record at 2.29m his pivot to decathlon reflects not just versatility but also courage to reinvent himself.
His performances inspire a new generation to see combined events as a real medal opportunity for India.
On Day 2, Tejaswin’s consistency and ability to keep pushing in the technical and endurance-heavy final events will decide if he can convert this Day 1 lead into a gold medal and perhaps, rewrite the Indian record books again.
As Indian fans track every throw, jump, and run, one thing is clear: Tejaswin Shankar is redefining what’s possible in Indian decathlon. With a powerful start, resilience through tough events, and the hunger to do more, TJ stands at the doorstep of something special.
