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Basant Kumar Meghwal Makes History With Silver in High Jump, Shahnawaz Khan Wins Long Jump Bronze
Under-20 Athletics Championships: India created history by winning two more medals on the same day at the ongoing Under-20 World Athletics Championships in Eugene. Basant Kumar Meghwal won silver in the high jump and Shahnawaz Khan won bronze in the long jump. With this, India equaled its record of winning three medals in the championship. Previously, Ashish Yadav had won silver in the javelin throw.
The name that has gone down in the history books due to winning a silver medal in the men's high jump is that of Basant Kumar Meghwal. He equaled his personal best at 2.21 meters. The 19-year-old Basant from Ganganagar, Rajasthan, is now India's first medallist in high jump at any international meet.
Basant first cleared 2.06 meters, then 2.12 meters, and then 2.17 meters. An excellent jump of 2.21 meters got him a place on the podium. All three athletes jumped 2.21 meters, but Basant got the silver thanks to the count back rule. Gold was won by Algeria's Younes Ayachi while Britain's Otis Poole got the bronze medal.
Another Indian athlete who won a bronze medal is that of Shahnawaz Khan in the men's long jump where he achieved a best distance of 7.84 meters. It is India's first-ever medal in the men's long jump at an international meet. Initially slow, he jumped 7.84 meters in the third round and 7.83 meters in the fifth round to get a medal. Inzoli from Italy won the gold medal at 7.97 meters, while McGroder from Australia won the silver medal at 7.96 meters.
