Watch: 17-year-old Tejaswin Shankar sets new national high jump record

At the National Junior Athletics meet on Thursday, Tejaswin Shankar created history, setting a new senior national record in the high jump event. What made the feat all the more special was that Tejaswin was competing against opponents double his 17 years of age. [caption id=“attachment_3101150” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Tejaswin Shankar from the Commonwealth Youth Games 2015. Twitter/thecgf[/caption] Tejaswin has been a prodigious talent earmarked for great achievements since a long time. But it wasn’t always athletics that Tejaswin has had his eye on. In his school days, he was training to become a fast bowler. Speaking to the Indian Express, he said he turned his attention to athletics after winning a medal at a school meet . In 2015, Shankar had won a bronze medal in the Asian Youth Championships in Doha, and his latest achievement adds to the hardworking young athlete’s already glittering early career. Shankar’s 2.26-metre jump earned him gold in the Under-18 category. “I hope I made up for missing the World Junior Meet in Poland, earlier this year. I met with a freak accident while riding pillion with my friend on a scooter just before the squad was finalised,” Shankar told Scroll after his win. “My record effort will make me World No 2 in the U-20 category.” As news trickled in of the 17-year-old’s fine achievement, the congratulatory messages started pouring in. Prominent cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle had high praise for the youngster:

If Tejaswin can continue in the same vein, India’s prospects in athletics at future Olympic Games look bright. Watch his record shattering attempt here

with inputs from agencies