India’s Tejaswin Shankar endured a heartbreaking end to his Commonwealth Games 2026 high jump campaign on Monday, but moments after withdrawing through injury, he was back at the apron helping teammate Sarvesh Kushare secure a silver medal.
A bronze medallist from Birmingham 2022, Tejaswin pulled out of the men’s high jump final at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow after suffering a flare-up of patellar tendinitis in his knee during his opening attempt.
Despite being unable to continue, Tejaswin stayed beside the competition area throughout the event, offering technical advice to Sarvesh Kushare between attempts.
That guidance proved crucial when Kushare’s run-up began to unravel at 2.25m.
“I wanted to clear the height in my first attempt itself, but during 2.25m my rhythm was affected and my stride became shorter. Then TJ (Tejaswin) told me to move forward in my run-up, and that helped,” Kushare said after claiming silver.
Sarvesh Kushare eventually cleared 2.25m before three unsuccessful attempts at 2.28m saw him finish second behind Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford, who won gold on countback. England’s Kimani Jack took bronze with 2.20m, while India’s Aadarsh Ram finished fifth.
For Tejaswin Shankar, however, it was a night of what might have been.
The 27-year-old Indian athlete, focused primarily on the decathlon over the past few seasons, had also entered the high jump at Glasgow 2026. His campaign lasted only one attempt before a familiar knee problem resurfaced.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, an emotional Tejaswin Shankar struggled to hold back tears as he explained that the pain had first appeared during his warm-up before worsening during competition.
The condition, commonly known as ‘jumper’s knee’, has troubled him before, but Tejaswin admitted its timing was especially cruel given the confidence he carried into the event.
“You want just one day in a year when you don’t have that pain, but it came on that day only. It really stings,” he told reporters.
Tejaswin Shankar believed he was capable of challenging for a medal before the injury ended his competition. The setback has also cast doubt over his participation in the decathlon, which begins later this week.
However, the Indian remains determined to compete if his recovery progresses over the next two days.
“I’ll give my best over the next two days and try and fix this. I will obviously start. I’m not here on vacation,” he said.
For one evening at least, Tejaswin’s own medal ambitions ended prematurely. Yet by remaining on the sidelines to help Kushare adjust his approach, he still played a part in India’s first athletics medal of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
READ MORE: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/tejaswin-shankar-knee-injury-helps-sarvesh-kushare-commonwealth-games-2026
