Glasgow: Tejaswin Shankar withdraws from high jump final at Commonwealth Games 2026

By Sanjay Menon — 27 July 2026 — 4 min read

Early withdrawal from high jump final

India’s Tejaswin Shankar ended his participation in the men’s high jump final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 on Monday. The withdrawal occurred after he failed to clear the opening height and subsequently pulled out of the event. The incident took place at Scotstoun Stadium, where initial confusion arose due to an error on the official results website.

The official results platform for the Commonwealth Games 2026 initially listed Tejaswin Shankar as DNS (Did Not Start) for the men’s high jump final. This created an impression that India’s representation in the final had decreased from three athletes to two. However, live telecast visuals quickly clarified the situation, showing Shankar warming up and preparing to compete alongside his teammates, Sarvesh Kushare and J Aadarsh Ram. The DNS status was later identified as an administrative error on the official website.

Following the clarification of the website error, attention shifted to Shankar‘s performance. He commenced his final attempts at an opening height of 2.05 metres. During his first attempt, he was unable to clear the bar. After landing on the mat, the 27-year-old athlete appeared to be in discomfort. He then decided to withdraw from the competition within minutes, concluding his high jump campaign abruptly.

No immediate official statement was released regarding the nature of the issue that led to his withdrawal. Organisers and the Indian contingent did not comment on whether this problem might affect Shankar‘s planned participation in the decathlon later in the Games.

Shankar’s previous achievements and recent form

Tejaswin Shankar arrived in Glasgow as the defending bronze medallist in the high jump. At the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, he made history by becoming the first Indian athlete to secure a medal in the men’s high jump. This achievement had set high expectations for his performance in the current Games.

Throughout 2026, Shankar had demonstrated impressive form, particularly in combined events. In February, he secured the Asian Indoor Championships heptathlon title, setting an Indian record with 5,993 points. Three months later, at the Federation Cup in Ranchi, he became the first Indian athlete to surpass the 8,000-point mark in the decathlon, achieving a national record of 8,057 points. These results positioned him as one of India’s most versatile track-and-field athletes leading up to the Commonwealth Games.

His early exit from the high jump final is considered a setback. The focus now shifts to whether he can recover sufficiently to participate in the multi-event competition as planned. Shankar has not only excelled in the decathlon but has also established himself as one of India’s leading high jumpers, having also won gold at the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games.

Born on December 21, 1998, in Saket, New Delhi, Tejaswin initially aspired to be a fast bowler in cricket. His physical education teacher at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya encouraged him to take up athletics to improve his speed and agility for cricket, which marked a significant turning point in his life. He quickly discovered his talent for high jumping, achieving success in school competitions before fully committing to athletics.

His journey was also shaped by personal challenges, including the loss of his father, Harishankar, to blood cancer in 2014. Despite this, he continued his athletic pursuits with the support of his mother, Lakshmi, progressing steadily through junior levels. In 2017, his high jump achievements earned him a four-year athletics scholarship to Kansas State University in the United States, where he studied accounting and finance while competing in the NCAA circuit.

In 2018, Shankar set the Indian outdoor high jump record at 2.29m and the indoor national record at 2.28m. These achievements remain among the best performances by an Indian athlete in this discipline. His success at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham further solidified his reputation.

While Shankar‘s situation dominated headlines, other Indian athletes achieved success on Monday. Gyaneshwari Yadav secured a silver medal in the women’s 53kg weightlifting event, and Bindyarani Devi earned a bronze medal in the women’s 58kg category, contributing to India’s overall medal tally.

The Indian contingent awaits clearer medical updates regarding Tejaswin Shankar‘s condition. The event highlights the unpredictable nature of elite competitions, where technical issues and physical challenges can converge.

The Commonwealth Games 2026, scheduled from July 23 to August 2, 2026, are being held in Glasgow. India has historically performed well in these Games, and despite the absence of medal-heavy sports like wrestling, badminton, and table tennis, several Olympic and world medallists are expected to lead India’s efforts.

Tejaswin Shankar‘s withdrawal leaves the Indian contingent waiting for further information on his health and potential future participation in the decathlon.

Source: outlookindia.com