Barely 100 days before he was slated to take the field in Paris, ace Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar has been ruled out of the upcoming Olympic Games due to a knee injury he suffered during training. The Asian Games and Commonwealth Games silver medallist will need surgery on the injured knee, which cruelly signals the end of his Paris dream. (More Sports News)
Sreeshankar shared the heartbreaking news with an emotional Instagram post. "All my life, I've had the courage to look at a setback in the eye, accept situations I can't change, and work hard at dictating the outcomes of those I can. Unfortunately, in what feels like a nightmare, but is a reality, my Paris Olympic Games dream is over," the post read.
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Sreeshankar was scheduled to compete in back-to-back Diamond League meets in Shanghai/Suzhou and Doha on April 27 and May 10, in what would have been a precursor to Paris 2024. The 25-year-old had last year become only the third Indian athlete to finish in the top three in a Diamond League meet after Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra and former discus thrower Vikas Gowda. He had secured third place in the Paris leg of the event on June 9, 2023.
Many were considering the talented long jumper as a genuine medal prospect for the Paris Games. However, with the unfortunate injury, his dream stands dashed. Nevertheless, Sreeshankar wrote in his post that he is focused on the road ahead.
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"My journey to a comeback began the minute I injured my knee. This road is going to be long, difficult and will take a lot out of me. The good thing is, I have a lot to give. I will overcome this, because that's what Mamba Mentality is all about."
