3 weeks ago
India's U20 medal winners target Asian Games podiums
Two young Indian athletes did something amazing at a big international sports competition.
Shahnavaz Khan is an 18-year-old long jumper who became the first Indian to win a medal in this event at the World Athletics U20 Championships.
He won a bronze medal even though his leg muscle cramped during the competition.
Now he wants to jump further than his best jump of 8.30 metres and win a medal at the Asian Games in Japan.
Basant Kumar Meghwal is a 19-year-old high jumper who won a silver medal at the same competition.
He jumped 2.21 metres, which was his personal best.
He almost won gold, but another athlete cleared the same height in fewer tries.
Both boys come from small villages where their families had little money.
Their families worked hard and even borrowed money so they could train.
Now the two athletes are hoping to do even better at the Asian Games.
Shahnavaz Khan, 18, became the first Indian long jumper to win a World Athletics U20 Championships medal, taking bronze in Eugene with 7.84m despite a left calf cramp.
Khan aims to better his personal best of 8.30m and win a medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan.
Basant Kumar Meghwal, 19, won silver in the men's high jump with a personal best of 2.21m, missing gold on countback to Algeria's Younes Ayachi.
Meghwal improved his personal best by 10cm this season and hopes to clear 2.27m-2.29m in the next one or two years.
Both athletes come from humble village backgrounds, with families making sacrifices and taking loans to support their training.
- Who
- Indian athletes Shahnavaz Khan (long jump) and Basant Kumar Meghwal (high jump), along with coaches and the Athletics Federation of India.
- What
- The two U20 medal winners set goals for podium finishes and personal bests at the upcoming Asian Games, building on historic World Athletics U20 Championships results.
- Where
- Eugene, USA (championships), with the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan; both athletes train in India.
- When
- The World Athletics U20 Championships took place last week; the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are scheduled for September-October.
- Why
- They aim to build on their historic medal wins and improve upon their personal bests on a bigger stage.
Key facts
- Khan's medal
- Bronze, long jump, 7.84m, World Athletics U20 Championships
- Khan's personal best
- 8.30m, third-best all-time among Indian seniors
- Meghwal's medal
- Silver, high jump, personal best 2.21m
- Meghwal's improvement
- 10cm this season (2.11m to 2.21m)
- Asian Games
- Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, September-October
- Khan's home
- Madhaipur village, Pratapgarh district, Uttar Pradesh
- Meghwal's employer
- Indian Navy, Kochi-based
- Meghwal's coach
- Sahana Kumari, former Indian women's high jump record holder
Quotes
Basant Kumar Meghwal
Indian high jumper and World U20 silver medallist
“I had in my mind that if I do 2.24m, I will win the gold medal. I tried my best, but I couldn't do it.”
rediff.com
“My aim to better my PB of 8.30m and win a medal.”
rediff.com






