India's Basant Kumar Meghwal Wins Historic High Jump Silver
Basant Kumar Meghwal secured a historic silver medal in the men's high jump at the World Athletics U20 Championships, marking India's first-ever medal in the event. He achieved a personal best of 2.21m.
The Cliff News | 9 August 2026
Indian high jumper Basant Kumar Meghwal has etched his name in history by clinching the silver medal in the men's high jump at the World Athletics U20 Championships held in Eugene, Oregon. The 19-year-old athlete from Anupgarh, Rajasthan, delivered a career-best performance of 2.21 meters to secure India's second medal at the prestigious event and become the nation's first high jumper to achieve this feat at the U20 World Championships.
Meghwal's podium finish came after a tense competition where all three medalists successfully cleared 2.21 meters but struggled to surpass 2.24 meters. The final standings were determined by a countback system, evaluating the number of attempts taken at the previous height. Algeria's Younes Ayachi claimed the gold medal, having cleared 2.21 meters on his first attempt. Meghwal earned the silver by clearing the same height on his second attempt, while Great Britain's Otis Poole secured the bronze after requiring three attempts.
Impressive Season Culminates in Historic Medal
The silver medal marks the pinnacle of an outstanding season for Basant Kumar Meghwal, underscoring his rapid ascent on the international athletics circuit. His personal best clearance of 2.21 meters adds significant weight to his achievements this year, following his gold medal victory at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships earlier in the season.
India's Medal Tally Grows at Championships
Adding to India's success at the World Athletics U20 Championships, Shahnavaz clinched a bronze medal in the men's long jump, bringing the nation's total medal count to three. The 18-year-old athlete registered his best jump of 7.84 meters on his third attempt in a closely contested final.
Shahnavaz's competition began with an effort of 7.67 meters, followed by an improvement to 7.72 meters in his second attempt. His decisive 7.84-meter jump in the third round propelled him into medal contention. Despite subsequent attempts measuring 7.52 meters, 7.83 meters, and 5.37 meters, his earlier performance was sufficient for the bronze medal. Italy's Daniele Inzoli secured the gold with a jump of 7.97 meters, and Australia's Mason McGroder took silver with a personal best of 7.96 meters.