Murali Sreeshankar Quick Facts
| Full Name | Murali Sreeshankar |
| Profession | Long jumper |
| Date of Birth | 27 March 1999 |
| Birthplace | Palakkad, Kerala |
| Height | 1.80 m |
| Event | Men’s long jump |
| Personal Best | 8.41 m (2023) |
| Coach | S. Murali (father) |
| Major Medals | 2 Commonwealth Games silvers (2022, 2026), 2 Asian Games silvers (2023, 2026), Asian Championships silver (2023) |
| Olympics | Tokyo 2020 |
| Education | BSc Mathematics, Government Victoria College, Palakkad |
| Parents | S. Murali (former triple jumper) and K. S. Bijimol (former 800 m runner) |
| Nationality | Indian |
Why Murali Sreeshankar Matters
For decades, Indian men’s long jump barely registered internationally. Sreeshankar changed that. He became the first Indian man to reach a World Championships long jump final, the first Indian man to win two Commonwealth Games long jump medals, and ended a 45-year wait for an Asian Games long jump medal. His consistency is unusual for the event: by mid-2026 he had cleared eight metres more than 60 times. His comeback from knee surgery, going from crutches to two major medals within about two years, has made him one of the most respected athletes in Indian sport.
Murali Sreeshankar Major Medals and Results
| Year | Competition | Result | Mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Asian Junior Championships, Gifu | Bronze | 7.47 m |
| 2018 | Asian Games, Jakarta | 6th | 7.95 m |
| 2021 | Olympic Games, Tokyo | Qualifying round | 7.69 m |
| 2022 | World Championships, Eugene | 7th (final) | 7.96 m |
| 2022 | Commonwealth Games, Birmingham | Silver | 8.08 m |
| 2023 | Paris Diamond League | 3rd | 8.09 m |
| 2023 | Asian Championships, Bangkok | Silver | 8.37 m |
| 2023 | Asian Games, Hangzhou | Silver | 8.19 m |
| 2026 | Commonwealth Games, Glasgow | Silver | 8.09 m |
| 2026 | Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya | Silver | 8.07 m |
Early Life and Family
Sreeshankar was born on 27 March 1999 in Palakkad into an athletics family. His father, S. Murali, is a former triple jumper who won silver at the 1989 South Asian Games and later worked with Indian Railways. His mother, K. S. Bijimol, won 800 m silver at the 1992 Asian Junior Championships, and his sister Sreeparvathy is a heptathlete. As a four-year-old he would tag along to his father’s training sessions, and he became a state under-10 champion in the 50 m and 100 m before switching to the long jump at 13. He studied at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kanjikode, and took a degree in mathematics at Government Victoria College, Palakkad.
Breakthrough: A National Record at 19
In March 2018 he jumped 7.99 m at the Federation Cup and was picked for the Commonwealth Games, only to withdraw ten days before the event with appendicitis. The surgery and liquid diet that followed left him weak, yet two months later he won bronze at the Asian Junior Championships in Gifu and finished sixth at the Asian Games in Jakarta. In September 2018 he broke the national record with 8.20 m in Bhubaneswar, the world’s best jump that season by an under-20 athlete, and became the first Indian to qualify for the 2019 World Championships.
Murali Sreeshankar Career Journey
2019 to 2021: Learning at the Top Level
He did not make the final at the 2019 World Championships in Doha. In March 2021 he set another national record of 8.26 m at the Federation Cup in Patiala to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, where he went out in qualifying with 7.69 m.
2022 and 2023: The Best Years
At the 2022 World Championships in Eugene he finished seventh, India’s best ever result in the men’s long jump. Weeks later at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham he won silver with 8.08 m, the same distance as the gold medallist from the Bahamas, losing only on the second-best jump. In 2023 he finished third at the Paris Diamond League, won silver at the Asian Championships in Bangkok with 8.37 m to qualify for the Paris Olympics, and took silver at the Asian Games in Hangzhou with 8.19 m, India’s first long jump medal at the Games since 1978.
2024 and 2025: Knee Surgery and Comeback
On 16 April 2024 he injured his knee in training, and the damage needed surgery, ruling him out of the Paris Olympics. He had the operation in Doha on 26 April. After months of rehabilitation he returned in 2025, winning a World Athletics Continental Tour meet in Maia, Portugal, in July and clearing 8.05 m at the India Open in Pune.
2026: Two More Silvers
In 2026 he cleared eight metres at every meet of his season, including 8.38 m at the National Inter-State Championships, his 60th career jump beyond eight metres. At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on 29 July he led after three rounds and won silver with 8.09 m behind Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle. At the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on 28 September he jumped 8.07 m in the second round to take silver behind China’s Shi Yuhao, edging Uzbekistan’s Anvar Anvarov by the narrowest of margins. He picked up an injury after his fourth attempt and could not take his final two jumps.
Murali Sreeshankar Records and Milestones
- Broke the men’s long jump national record several times, including 8.20 m (2018) and 8.26 m (2021).
- First Indian man to reach a World Championships long jump final, finishing seventh in 2022.
- First Indian man to win two Commonwealth Games long jump medals (silver in 2022 and 2026).
- Ended India’s 45-year wait for an Asian Games long jump medal with silver in Hangzhou.
- Two consecutive Asian Games silvers (2023 and 2026).
- More than 60 career jumps beyond eight metres.
Murali Sreeshankar Awards and Honours
- Arjuna Award for 2023, presented by President Droupadi Murmu in January 2024
- Member of the government’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)
- Supported by JSW Sports and the Inspire Institute of Sport in Karnataka
Personal Life
Sreeshankar remains based in Palakkad and has been coached by his father for his entire career, a partnership that has been central to both his success and his recovery from injury. Sport runs through the whole family: his mother was an international middle-distance runner and his sister competes in the heptathlon.
Frequently Asked Questions About Murali Sreeshankar
Who coaches Murali Sreeshankar?
His father, S. Murali, a former triple jumper and 1989 South Asian Games silver medallist, has coached him throughout his career.
Why did Murali Sreeshankar miss the Paris Olympics?
He had qualified, but injured his knee in training on 16 April 2024 and needed surgery, which ruled him out of the Games.
What medals did Murali Sreeshankar win in 2026?
He won long jump silver at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (8.09 m) and silver at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya (8.07 m).
What is Murali Sreeshankar’s personal best?
His personal best is 8.41 m, set in 2023. His best jump of the 2026 season was 8.38 m at the National Inter-State Championships.
