"It’s a real honor and privilege for me to represent the country" - Murali Sreeshankar looking forward to winning medals at Asian Games
Indian long jump athlete Murali Sreeshankar will lead the Asian Games athletics contingent in Hangzhou, China. Following his fifth-place finish in the Zurich leg of the Diamond League 2023, Sreeshankar is ensuring he is well-prepared for the upcoming tournament.
He has chosen to forgo participation in the Diamond League final 2023, scheduled for September 16 and 17 in Eugene, USA, in order to focus on the Asian Games 2023.
With an eye on Paris 2024, Sreeshankar will be aiming to win gold for the country in China and elevate the standard of athletics performance.
Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, Murali Sreeshankar mentioned that his preparation includes refining the technical aspects of his game, which he believes contributed to his disappointing performance at the world championships.
Having returned from Zurich just three days prior, Sreeshankar emphasised that his training for the tournament has already begun.
"Preparations are well on track. Now it’s kind of the execution that matters. I made some technical errors which resulted in a pretty disappointing world championship,” Murali Sreeshankar said. “So, I will correct what I have done there to make sure that I am technically sound this time also. My body is already in the right position.”
Sreeshankar also expressed optimism about India’s prospects at the upcoming Asian Games. He further stressed that there was merit to Sony Sports Network’s ‘Iss Baar, Sau Paar’ campaign, which aims to see India secure 100 medals in Hangzhou. The sheer size of India’s delegation this time around appealed to him as a sign that positive results were bound to come.
“I think it is very much possible to win 100 medals because we are sending the largest-ever contingent to the Asian Games this time. So, hopefully, the team will perform well and the athletics team is also looking very strong this time. So, we will be able to come back with a lot of medals this time," Sreeshankar continued.
He also commented on the level of competition at the Asian Games, stating it to be of the highest standard.
“I think the standard of Asian long jump is pretty high this time because I think it is the first time the roster has around 840 plus jumpers. So, it’s going to be a tough competition. It all depends on that particular day, how we perform ourselves," he added further.
"I am where I am because of serious training and there is also a lot of scope for improvement" - Murali Sreeshankar looks at the bigger picture
Murali Sreeshankar was also grateful to the support he has received from early childhood. His parents’ background allowed him to pursue his sport with dedication and focus.
“Both my parents were international athletes, so support was obviously there. I was interested in sport from a very young age itself. Initially, I did sprint events and then started doing long jump. Once I finished school, I started focusing on doing serious training for my event,” Murali Sreeshankar said.
He succinctly summarised his ambitions and goals for the sport by aiming to win medals at the biggest competitions.
“Representing your country in the Olympic games is ultimately the dream for every athlete. Next year, I am going for my second Olympics. I am really excited and happy about it and I will be more happy if I grab a medal in Paris,” he added.
Murali Sreeshankar will head to Hangzhou to participate in the Asian games, which commences on September 23. He is joined by national record holder Jeswin Aldrin in the long jump contingent. Together, they hope to deliver a stellar performance and bring home medals for the country.