Tejaswin Shankar ended India’s four-decade wait for a decathlon medal upgrade at the Asian Athletics Championships by clinching a remarkable silver in Gumi, South Korea, on May 28, 2025. Shankar amassed 7,618 points, finishing just 16 points behind China’s Fei Xiang, with Japan’s Keisuke Okuda taking bronze.
His silver marks India’s seventh medal at the championships and cements Shankar’s place as a trailblazer in Indian athletics. Officials and Shankar himself have hailed the achievement as a testament to perseverance and sporting spirit.
A Decathlon Decided by Seconds
The men’s decathlon at Gumi was a dramatic contest, with Shankar leading after the first day’s five events and entering the final two events just three points adrift of the leader. He faced a setback in the javelin, where a foul on his first attempt cost him valuable points, dropping him to third place.
In the concluding 1,500m, Shankar needed to finish at least 10 seconds ahead of Fei Xiang for gold. He ran his heart out, clocking a time that gave him a seven-second lead, but ultimately fell just short, settling for silver. “I made the decision that I want to challenge for the gold.
I missed by three seconds, that was the difference between gold and silver. Sixteen points… three seconds,” Shankar reflected, expressing both pride and determination for future challenges. Athletics Federation of India officials praised Shankar’s resilience, calling his performance “a new benchmark for Indian multi-eventers.”
From Delhi’s Cricket Dreams to Decathlon Glory: Shankar’s Inspiring Journey
Born in Delhi in 1998, Tejaswin Shankar’s early sporting ambitions were shaped by cricket, inspired by his father, a respected BCCI lawyer. However, his tall, athletic frame soon caught the attention of school coaches, who encouraged him to try high jump. Shankar quickly excelled, breaking the national high jump record at just 19 with a leap of 2.29 metres in 2018.
His journey has not been without challenges—he has battled injuries, faced the tragic loss of his father, and navigated selection controversies that saw him initially excluded from major squads. Despite these setbacks, Shankar won medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in high jump.
In 2023, he made a bold switch to the decathlon, a gruelling ten-event discipline, and immediately set the national record with 7,666 points at the Asian Games. His silver in Gumi now makes him the first Indian to win two decathlon medals at the Asian Athletics Championships, a feat that underscores his adaptability and indomitable spirit.
India’s Athletics Renaissance and Shankar’s Symbolic Win
Shankar’s achievement is emblematic of India’s growing presence in Asian athletics. The 2025 Asian Athletics Championships have seen India secure medals across a spectrum of events, from the mixed 4x400m relay to the triple jump and women’s 400m.
Shankar’s medal is particularly significant as it comes in a multi-discipline event, which demands versatility, endurance, and mental toughness. His success is inspiring a new generation of athletes to pursue less-heralded disciplines, broadening the country’s sporting horizons.
The Athletics Federation of India has acknowledged this shift, stating, “Athletes like Tejaswin are redefining what is possible for India in track and field.”
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Tejaswin Shankar’s journey from Delhi’s cricket fields to the Asian decathlon podium is a story of resilience, reinvention, and relentless pursuit of excellence. His ability to overcome personal loss, injuries, and setbacks, and then to excel in two of the most demanding disciplines in athletics, is a beacon of hope for Indian sport.
His story reminds us that true champions are not defined by medals alone, but by the courage to rise after every fall. As India celebrates this historic moment, how can we, as a society, create a more supportive ecosystem for our athletes—one that nurtures talent, recognises effort, and encourages dreams beyond the mainstream?
