Aldrin and Shaili struggles weigh on India's long jump

Sreeshankar is making a strong comeback but no one else has really risen above modest levels

- Shantanu Srivastava

Murali Sreeshankar's 8.13m winning effort at Sunday's World Athletics Continental Tour meet in Bhubaneswar continues his steady comeback after a year out due to injury, but Indian long jump otherwise seemed to have tapered off.

Sreeshankar's final jump that ensured victory, although still 14 cm shy of automatic qualification for next month's World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, was among the positives from India staging a meet of this stature.

The men's javelin competition taking place around the same time at the Kalinga Stadium on a hot and humid evening saw a bunch of Indian throwers perform at a promising level, perhaps a reflection of the Neeraj Chopra effect. It didn't seem the case in long jump.

While Sreeshankar was straining to win the event from 21-year-old Shanavaz Khan - his 8.04m was the best till the 26-year-old bettered it in his final attempt - young national record holder Jeswin Aldrin had hobbled off without a jump, citing a left ankle niggle.