Tejaswin Shankar Height, Age, Girlfriend, Family, Biography & More
Quick Info→
Hometown: Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu
Age: 23 Years
Height: 6’4″
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | TJ [1]Tejaswin Shankar (TJ) – Instagram |
| Profession(s) | Athlete and accountant |
| Famous for | Winning a bronze medal at Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham 2022 |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| [2]The Indian Express Height | in centimeters– 193 cm in meters– 1.93 m in feet & inches– 6’ 4” |
| Weight (approx.) | in kilograms– 80 kg in pounds– 176 lbs |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Track and field | |
| International Debut | Commonwealth Youth Games, Apia, Samoa |
| Coach(es) | • Sunil Kumar • Cliff Rovelto • Nallusamy Annavi |
| Records (main ones) |
• 2015: Games record of 2.14 metres at 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games in Apia, Samoa
• 2016: National senior record with a jump of 2.26m at the Junior National Championship in Coimbatore in November 2016, breaking the previous record of Hari Shankar Roy of 2.25m in the Asian All-Star Athletics meet in Singapore in 2004 • 2016: National record of boy’s U18 high jump at 32nd National Junior Athletics Championship in 2016 with a mark of 2.26m |
| Medal(s) |
Gold • 2014: CBSE National Athletics Championship, Varanasi • 2015: Commonwealth Youth Games, Apia, Samoa • 2017: Senior National Open Athletics Championship, Lucknow
Silver Bronze • 2022: Commonwealth Games, Birmingham |
| Award(s) |
• 2022: NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Award at NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship, US
• 2022: Triangular Jumper High Point Award, US |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 21 December 1998 |
| Age (as of 2022) | 23 Years |
| Birthplace | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh [3]Gold Coast 2018 |
| Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu |
| Ethnicity | Tamilian |
| School | Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, New Delhi |
| College/University | Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States |
| Educational Qualifications | Major’s in Business Administration |
| Tattoo(s) | • ‘The Beast’ tattoo on his right arm
• ‘Never Stop’ tattoo on his left arm |
| Controversies | • Initially, Tejaswin Shankar was not included in the Indian squad for Commonwealth Games 2022. He filed a petition against the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) in Delhi High Court for his inclusion in the Commonwealth Games 2022. Within two hearings, the court ordered the Athletics Federation of India and the Indian Olympic Association to add him to the Indian squad for CWG 2022. However, Tejaswin was added as a replacement for Arokia Rajiv, who failed his fitness test. [4]The Indian Express In an interview, he talked about how he struggled for his selection in Commonwealth Games and said, “I hardly got any sleep with so much happening around. How do you motivate yourself to train when you are not sure about your next competition? My practice has also been affected. It’s not good for the sport that athletes have to go to court for spots they have earned. I am thankful to AFI that they have finally agreed to include me in the squad. I will have a good night’s sleep today.” |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Affair/Girlfriend | Siddhi Hiray (track and field athlete) |
| Family | |
| Parents |
Father– Hari Shankar (lawyer, died of blood cancer in 2014) Mother– Lakshmi Shankar (lawyer) |
| Sibling | Sister– Avantika Shankar |
| Favourites | |
| Sport | Cricket |
| High Jumper | Derek Drouin |
| Cricketer(s) | Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Tejaswin Shankar
- Tejaswin Shankar is an Indian track and field athlete and an accountant who specializes in high jump events. He is known for breaking Hari Shankar’s national record of 2.25 metres with a jump of 2.26 metres at the Junior National Championship in Coimbatore in November 2016. On 4 August 2022, Tejaswin won a bronze medal with the mark of 2.22m at the Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham.
- Tejaswin is the first Indian to win a high jump medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Tejaswin Shankar creates history. He wins our first high jump medal in the CWG. Congratulations to him for winning the Bronze medal. Proud of his efforts. Best wishes for his future endeavours. May he keep attaining success. @TejaswinShankar pic.twitter.com/eQcFOtSU58
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 4, 2022
- During his childhood days, Tejaswin aspired to be a bowler. He used to watch videos of fast bowlers, Wasim Akram and Mohammed Aamir, to practise their style of bowling. He was also a part of his school’s cricket team till the eighth standard.
Tejaswin Shankar playing cricket
- During his school days, Tejaswin’s physical education teacher advised him to try out the high jump pit. In an interview, his coach talked about how he spotted him and said,
He was warming up with a group of boys and I noticed he ran with a natural bounce. Not everyone has this bounce. I asked him if he wants to give high jump a shot.” [5]The Indian ExpressTejaswin Shankar training with his coach Sunil Kumar
- In 2015, Tejaswin defeated junior national champion, Jeo Jose, at CBSE National Athletic Championship in Varanasi. In an interview, talking about his excitement in defeating a national champion, Tejaswin said,
I cleared 1.84 metres and won the gold. I had beaten a national champion who was taller than me, who was more experienced and had a better personal best. This was when I realised I had it in me to be a high jumper,” [6]The Indian Express
- Tejaswin’s father Harishankar, who was a lawyer, was not in favour of his son’s interest in athletics. He wanted him to study law and take over the family firm. Harishankar believed that apart from all the sports, cricket was the sensible choice. He wanted Tejaswin to take advantage of his height, and train for cricket.
- In 2016, Tejaswin, who played for the junior grade, broke the 12-year-old national senior record in Junior National Championship, Coimbatore.
- In 2016, Tejaswin finished sixth at the 17th Asian Junior Athletics Championship in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with a leap of 2.07m
- Tejaswin was ranked the third-best under-20 jumper in the International Association of Athletics Federation’s (IAAF) world list of 2016.
- In an interview, Tejaswin’s coach and talent scout Nallusamy Annavi talked about him and said,
Shankar has the height but he also has strength and speed. There are many tall jumpers but height alone is not enough. You need to be strong — a kind of explosive power — and you need speed. And he has all these attributes. I have seen many jumpers over the years but nobody in recent memory has the special qualities Shankar has.” [7]The Indian Express
- Tejaswin became the second Indian after Somdev Devvarman, a former professional Indian tennis player, to win two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships in 2018 and 2022 in the high jump category.
Shankar brings high jump title back to Manhattan! 🏆
📰 https://t.co/iSxaQ694ZQ#KStateTF x #NCAATF pic.twitter.com/kInqndl2lF
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) June 11, 2022
- In 2016, Tejaswin suffered from a slipped disc, and he was bedridden for six months. Because of his injury, he was not able to participate in the 2016 World Junior Championship. Talking about his injury, he said,
I am just recovering from a slip disc. I was bed-ridden for six months from January to June. There have been times when I thought I couldn’t make it here. But here I am, all smiles and I could break the meet record of 2.23m. My sponsors JSW Sports and coach had faith in me. If not for them I would still have been bed-ridden. My coach believes that I can jump even if am missing a leg.” [8]The New Indian Express
- In July 2017, Tejaswin competed in the National Inter-State Sports Meet in Guntur with a mark of 2.23m.
Tejaswin Shankar at the National Inter-State Sports Meet in Guntur
- Tejaswin qualified for the finals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, held at the Carrara Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia.
Tejaswin Shankar at Commonwealth Games 2018
- Shankar took a leap of 2.28 metres at the 22nd Federation Cup Indian Championship in March 2018 at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala.
Tejaswin Shankar matches his national record of 2.28m in the high jump at the Federation Cup. pic.twitter.com/kv0YeSrePV
— jonathan selvaraj (@jon_selvaraj) March 7, 2018
- Tejaswin participated in the Texas Tech Corky-Crofoot Shootout Athletics Meet, jumping 2.29m in April 2018 in the United States.
- In June 2018, Tejaswin became the third Indian to win the United States National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Track and Field Championship. The first Indian to win the title was Mohinder Singh Gill, in the triple jump category, and the second Indian to win the championship was Vikas Gowda in the discus throw category in 2006.
HE DID IT! #KStateTF
Tejaswin Shankar is the men’s high jump NATIONAL CHAMPION, clearing 2.24m/7-04.25 on his LAST attempt
The winning jump ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/oMzqgtMopo
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) June 9, 2018
- He took part in the West Regional Championship in 2019 at the Sacramento State University, California.
Tejaswin Shankar at West Regional Championship 2019
- In June 2022, Tejaswin competed in the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, the United States with a leap of 2.27m.
- In June 2022, Shankar was named the Midwest Region Men’s Field Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Tejaswin Shankar as the Midwest Region Men’s Field Athlete of the Year
References/Sources:[+]
| ↑1 | Tejaswin Shankar (TJ) – Instagram |
|---|---|
| ↑2, ↑5, ↑6, ↑7 | The Indian Express |
| ↑3 | Gold Coast 2018 |
| ↑4 | The Indian Express |
| ↑8 | The New Indian Express |