Sarvesh Kushare: first Indian to win Commonwealth high jump silver, achieving this historic milestone in Glasgow on Monday. The 31-year-old national record holder cleared 2.25 meters to finish second in the men’s high jump final, securing a silver medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. This victory makes Sarvesh Kushare the first Indian male high jumper to win silver at the event, surpassing Tejaswin Shankar’s bronze from Birmingham 2022.
Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford took gold, also clearing 2.25 meters but winning on countback. England’s Jack Kimani earned bronze with 2.20 meters. Both Kushare and Beckford failed at 2.28 meters. India’s Adarsh Ram placed fifth with 2.15 meters. Tejaswin Shankar, the 2022 bronze medalist, retired after failing his first attempt at 2.05 meters, opting to focus on the decathlon starting Thursday.
Sarvesh Kushare’s journey from Devargaon village in Maharashtra to the Commonwealth podium is inspiring. The son of an onion farmer, he trained using makeshift pits filled with corn husks and agricultural waste, built by his father who was his first coach. Earlier this month, Sarvesh Kushare became the first Indian high jumper to podium at a Diamond League meet, finishing third in Monaco with 2.26 meters. He also set a national record of 2.31 meters at the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar last month.
This silver medal marks a significant achievement for Indian athletics, highlighting Sarvesh Kushare’s rise from humble beginnings to a national hero. He joins elite company as only the fourth Indian athlete to rank top-three in a Diamond League event, alongside Neeraj Chopra, Murali Sreeshankar, and Vikas Gowda. With his determination and record-breaking form, Sarvesh Kushare has set a new benchmark for Indian high jumping.