High-jumper Kushare bags historic third-place finish

Sarvesh Kushare. Pic/AFP

National record holder Sarvesh Kushare scripted history by becoming the first Indian high jumper to finish on the podium at a Diamond League meet, claiming third place on his debut in Monaco and joining an exclusive four-member club of Indian achievers.

Kushare, 31, sailed over 2.26m in a star-studded field including three-time world champion and Tokyo Olympics gold winners Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar, who finished joint eighth with a 2.20m effort, and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and 2023 World Championships silver winner JuVaughn Harrison of the USA, who finished joint fourth.

World leader and world indoor champion Oleh Doroshchuk of Ukraine won the title after clearing 2.32m, while Great Britain's Jack Kimani was second with 2.30m. Kushare was competing just two weeks after setting a national record of 2.31m while winning gold at the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar last month.

He became only the fourth Indian to finish in top-three of a Diamond League event after javelin throw superstar Neeraj Chopra (13 times since 2022), long jumper Murali Sreeshankar (once in 2023) and former discus thrower Vikas Gowda (on two occasions in 2015).

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