Basant Kumar Meghwal won a historic silver medal in the men’s high jump at the World Athletics U20 Championships, while Shahnavaz Khan added bronze in the men’s long jump as India collected two medals on the fourth and penultimate day of the competition on Saturday.
Meghwal, 19, cleared a personal-best 2.21m to become the first Indian athlete to win a medal in the high jump at the World Athletics U20 Championships. Shahnavaz, 18, followed with a best effort of 7.84m in the long jump final, taking India’s medal tally at the championships to three.
Meghwal’s 2.21m earns landmark silver
Representing the Indian Navy, Meghwal matched the top height of 2.21m alongside gold medallist Younes Ayachi of Algeria and Great Britain’s bronze medallist Otis Poole. None of the three medallists was able to clear 2.24m, with all three failing in their three attempts at that height.
The medals were therefore decided on countback, based on the number of attempts required at the preceding height. Ayachi cleared 2.21m on his first attempt, Meghwal did so on his second attempt and Poole cleared it on his third attempt. That sequence placed Ayachi first, Meghwal second and Poole third.
The silver marked a significant personal milestone for Meghwal as well as an Indian first in the event. Coached by former Indian women’s high jump national record holder Sahana Kumari, he has improved his personal best by 10cm this season, moving from 2.11m to 2.21m.
Meghwal is from Anupgarh, a border town in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district. His performance at the championships established him as India’s first medallist in the men’s high jump at this level, with the 2.21m clearance delivering both a personal best and a place on the podium.
Ayachi’s first-attempt clearance at 2.21m proved decisive in the countback after the unsuccessful attempts at 2.24m. Meghwal’s second-attempt success at the key height was enough to secure silver ahead of Poole, whose clearance came on his third try.
Shahnavaz adds long jump bronze as India reach three medals
Shahnavaz claimed bronze in the men’s long jump with 7.84m, which came on his third attempt. His series read 7.67m, 7.72m, 7.84m, 7.52m, 7.83m and 5.37m, with the third-round mark remaining his best effort in the final.
Italy’s Daniele Inzoli won the long jump gold with 7.97m, while Australia’s Mason McGroder took silver after recording a personal best of 7.96m. Shahnavaz finished behind the two leading jumpers with his 7.84m best, while also producing another strong mark of 7.83m in the fifth round.
R.C. Jithin Arjunan was the other Indian competing in the men’s long jump final. He finished eighth with a best of 7.59m, a mark he achieved in both his first and fourth attempts.
India’s medal run at the championships had begun on Friday, when Ashish Yadav won silver in the men’s javelin throw. Yadav became only the second Indian after Neeraj Chopra to win a silver medal in the javelin at the World U20 Championships. With Meghwal’s high jump silver and Shahnavaz’s long jump bronze, India moved to three medals at the event.
