NEW DELHI: India's premier long jumper and Commonwealth Games medalist Murali Sreeshankar recently underwent a successful knee surgery in Doha, Qatar.
The injury, which occurred during training in his hometown of Palakkad, has forced him to withdraw from the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, scheduled for July-August this year.
The 25-year-old athlete, currently ranked seventh in the world, made the decision to undergo surgery after a series of consultations and tests, according to Olympics.com. Sreeshankar shared the news of his successful surgery on his social media handle, stating, "The surgery was successful under Dr Bruno Olory at the Aspetar Hospital, Doha."
He expressed his gratitude for the support he received during this challenging time, adding, "Thank you everyone for all your love and blessings during this tough phase. 18 hours post surgery and I am already walking."
Sreeshankar's impressive track record includes representing India at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, although he did not reach the finals. In 2022, he secured a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games and surpassed the Paris 2024 entry mark of 8.27 m with an 8.37 m jump at the Asian Athletics Championships, where he also claimed silver.
Last year, Sreeshankar became the third Indian long jumper to finish in the top three of the Diamond League meet in Paris and won a silver medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. He also competed in the Budapest World Athletics Championships and qualified for the Diamond League Finals in Eugene.
Prior to his injury, Sreeshankar was set to commence his season at the Diamond League event in Shanghai/Suzhou in April, followed by the Doha leg on May 10. He remains the sole Indian athlete with an Olympic quota in the long jump category..
(Inputs from ANI)
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