Bhubaneswar: India’s premier triple jumper Praveen Chithravel once again proved why he remains the country’s biggest medal hope in the event, winning the men’s triple jump title at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships with a best leap of 16.92 metres at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar.
The Tamil Nadu athlete crossed the Asian Games qualifying standard of 16.28m with his very first attempt, comfortably sealing his place for the continental showpiece in Aichi-Nagoya later this year. Although the conditions were not ideal after rain earlier in the day, Praveen displayed remarkable consistency and control throughout the competition.
Triple Jump Final Results
Gold: Praveen Chithravel (Tamil Nadu) – 16.92m
Silver: Karthik U (Kerala) – 16.80m
Bronze: Selva Prabhu (Tamil Nadu) – 16.79m
The final turned into one of the strongest triple jump competitions in recent Indian athletics history, with six athletes surpassing the Asian Games qualifying mark of 16.28m, highlighting the growing depth of talent in the discipline.
Praveen opened with the winning jump of 16.92m, followed by attempts of 16.24m, 16.35m and 15.96m, before passing his remaining jumps. His performance underlined his consistency as he continues to build towards the Asian Games.
Already the holder of the Indian national record (17.37m), Praveen remains among Asia’s leading triple jumpers. His latest victory further strengthens his credentials as one of India’s strongest medal contenders on the international stage.
The competition behind him was equally intense. Veteran Karthik U secured silver with 16.80m, while NCAA champion Selva Prabhu finished only a centimetre behind at 16.79m to claim bronze, making it a closely fought contest until the final rounds.
The Athletics Federation of India will now finalise the Indian contingent for the Asian Games after evaluating performances from the Inter-State Championships, where multiple athletes across events achieved the required qualification standards.
With confidence, experience and consistent performances on his side, Praveen Chithravel has once again sent a strong message that he is ready to challenge the best in Asia when the Games begin later this year.
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