Tejaswin Shankar, who made history as India’s first decathlon medallist at the Commonwealth Games, opened up about the emotional challenges he faced on his journey to securing a bronze medal in Glasgow. He candidly shared that there was a moment during the competition when he felt like he had ‘given up’ and started to doubt whether his years of hard work were in vain.
Event Context
The significance of the medal was heightened by the events that transpired beforehand. Tejaswin faced a knee injury during the warm-up for the men’s high jump event, which initially led him to withdraw. His name appeared with a ‘DNS’ on the official Commonwealth Games roster. However, he made a last-minute decision to compete. After failing his first jump, he withdrew again, raising concerns about his ability to continue in the decathlon.
Demonstrating remarkable resilience, Shankar finished Day 1 in second place, largely due to a stellar performance in his signature high jump event. He started the final day still in contention for gold, eventually clinching the bronze and making history as the first Indian to earn a Commonwealth Games medal in the decathlon.
Reflecting on his journey, the high jumper-turned-decathlete emphasized that his comeback wouldn’t have been possible without the support of those around him. “I’m proud to leave the Commonwealth Games with a bronze medal. Though the journey wasn’t what I expected, it offered me invaluable lessons that an easy victory could never provide.”
Team Analysis
Thanks to Dr. Wayne Lombard and his strength and conditioning team, Shankar made a remarkable recovery in time to compete in the decathlon the following morning. Despite facing significant emotional turmoil, he refused to let uncertainty define his performance. “I slowly pieced myself back together. Even though I felt broken inside, I kept convincing myself that I was okay. It took one conversation, one treatment session, one event, and one lap at a time to regain my strength.” He acknowledged, “Looking back, I realize my journey was not a solo effort. I am grateful to my coaches, medical team, teammates, family, friends, sponsors, and everyone who reached out through calls, messages, or social media. Your support helped me believe in myself when I found it hard to do so.” Shankar reflected that this experience reshaped his view on what success in sports truly means: “Sports have a peculiar way of challenging you. It’s not always about being the strongest or the most gifted; sometimes, it’s about your determination to keep getting back up.” He concluded by stating that while he did not expect to win a bronze medal, it was perhaps the outcome he truly needed.
Match Outlook
In an emotional social media update following the Games, Shankar reflected on one of the most challenging weeks of his career, sharing that there were times when it felt like all his hard work was about to unravel. He stated, “There are moments in life when you feel like everything you’ve strived for is slipping away. This week, I experienced one of those moments.” The 27-year-old candidly confessed that he momentarily lost faith in himself, saying, “To be honest, I gave up for a while. I questioned everything and wondered if all my preparation had been in vain.”
