Injured Tejaswin Shankar mentors Sarvesh Kushare as Kushare wins Commonwealth Games silver

Tejaswin Shankar's Commonwealth Games high jump ended due to injury. He then coached Sarvesh Kushare, who won a historic silver medal. Kushare credited Shankar's advice for his improved performance during the competition. Shankar's own medal hopes were dashed before the event truly began. He now aims to compete in the decathlon despite his knee issue.

Three-time Commonwealth Gold medalist Vinesh Phogat has encouraged Tejaswin Shankar after the long jump star was heart-broken following an injury. Shankar was a medal hopeful in the men's high jump, but had to withdraw after just one attempt due to a knee injury. Naturally, he was heartbroken and broke down in tears while speaking to the media at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. Teju still you can do it. Stay focused on what’s ahead. My coach always said, as professional athletes we must always be prepared for the best and at the same time, be ready for the worst. In life everything happened for a reason i guess. Rooting for you as always ✊… https://t.co/4F86rt05v9— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) July 28, 2026 "Teju still you can do it. Stay focused on what’s ahead. My coach always said, as professional athletes we must always be prepared for the best and at the same time, be ready for the worst. In life everything happened for a reason i guess. Rooting for you as always," she wrote in a post on X. Shankar was left to tears while revealing that he felt shooting pain in his knee before his second jump and decided to stop as a precautionary measure to recover well for the decathlon event, starting on Thursday.Injured Tejaswin Shankar Turns Mentor As Sarvesh Kushare Wins Silver At CWG 2026 Men's High Jump FinalTejaswin noted that the injury was especially ill-timed, as he had arrived in Glasgow fully confident in his ability to claim another Commonwealth Games medal.Sarvesh Kushare, who broke Tejaswin Shankar's eight-year-old national record with a 2.31m leap at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar last month, cleared 2.25m before three unsuccessful attempts at 2.28m saw him settle for silver medalDespite his own injury setback, he stayed back at the venue and helped his compatriot Kushare, who bettered Tejaswin's 2022 performance with a silver.

India's decathlete and high jumper Tejaswin Shankar displayed remarkable sportsmanship after his own Commonwealth Games campaign ended in heartbreak due to injury, choosing to stay back at the athletics venue to mentor compatriot Sarvesh Kushare during the men's high jump final.Shankar's medal hopes were dashed after he suffered a sharp pain in his knee during the warm-up and could not continue in the competition despite clearing only his first attempt. The injury forced the Commonwealth Games medallist to withdraw from the remainder of the competition, leaving the visibly emotional athlete in tears as he exited the event. Despite the disappointment, Shankar did not leave the stadium and instead shifted his focus to supporting fellow Indian Sarvesh Kushare in his bid for a podium finish., ... - . Tejaswin Shankar has gone nowhere is right beside Sarvesh Kushare as the latter continues his chase for glory at Glasgow 2026. Watch the Indian High Jump ace in… pic.twitter.com/8coCaqKQ3i— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 27, 2026 From the sidelines, Shankar offered technical advice and encouragement to Kushare throughout the competition. His guidance proved invaluable as Kushare cleared key heights to remain in medal contention before eventually finishing with the silver medal, adding another athletics medal to India's tally.The gesture highlighted the strong bond between two of India's finest high jumpers. Shankar, a former national record holder, and Kushare, who later surpassed that mark, have shared a healthy rivalry over the years while pushing Indian high jumping to new heights. Although Shankar's campaign ended in frustration, his decision to remain at the venue and help a teammate underlined the spirit of the Games. While he left without a medal, his selfless act ensured India celebrated Kushare's silver, turning personal heartbreak into a moment of collective success.