Aiming for Personal Bests
With the Asian Games just six weeks away, Shankar is focused on building upon his recent successes. He has expressed a strong desire to achieve a personal best and contend for the gold medal. “Last year, I was around 7,800 points. This year, all three decathlons I’ve participated in have seen me score between 150 to 200 points higher than last year,” Shankar shared in a recent interview. He emphasized the importance of making further improvements, stating, “We still have two years to make adjustments and aim for an additional 300 to 400 points to be competitive at the Olympic level.”
However, Shankar acknowledges the stiff competition he will face at the Asian Games, noting that several athletes have surpassed the 8,000-point threshold this season. Reflecting on his previous performance, he remarked, “Last year, I earned a silver medal with 7,666 points, but given this year’s performances, I’m uncertain if that would even secure a podium finish.”
Focusing on Decathlon
Despite a knee issue that affected his performance in the individual high jump at the Commonwealth Games, Shankar managed to bounce back and compete in the decathlon, where he secured a bronze medal. This experience has prompted him to identify key areas for improvement ahead of the Asian Games. He has decided to forgo the individual high jump event at the continental competition to concentrate solely on the decathlon. “Now that I know what can go wrong, I’ll work on strengthening my knee over the next six weeks to maximize my chances,” he explained.
While his primary focus remains on the decathlon, Shankar has not abandoned his aspirations in high jump. He expressed a desire to reclaim the national record from Sarvesh Kushare, stating, “High jump is part of the decathlon, and I want to reclaim that record at some point.” As he prepares for the future, Shankar is also in contention for the prestigious Arjuna Award, which he views as a significant milestone in his athletic career. “Being recognized among the best athletes in our country is a tremendous honor,” he said, adding that such recognition fuels his ambition to achieve even greater heights, including medals at the Olympics and World Championships.
Shankar envisions a long and fruitful career in athletics, stating, “The goal is not just the medal, but to maintain consistency and fitness for as long as possible. If I can achieve that, the medals will follow.”
