Sarvesh Kushare added another milestone to Indian athletics on Monday by becoming the country’s first men’s high jumper to win a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games.

Competing in Glasgow, the 31-year-old cleared 2.25m to finish second in a closely contested final. Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford also cleared 2.25m but secured the gold medal after crossing the height on his first attempt. Kushare needed all three attempts to stay in contention before successfully clearing the bar on his final chance. Both athletes failed to clear 2.28m.

England’s Kimani Jack claimed the bronze medal after registering 2.20m. The result is India’s best-ever finish in the men’s high jump at the Commonwealth Games. Tejaswin Shankar had won bronze in Birmingham in 2022, becoming the country’s first medallist in the event. Kushare has now taken Indian high jumping one step further.

Flawless start before a dramatic finish

Kushare looked in complete control during the early stages of the competition. He cleared 2.05m, 2.10m, 2.15m and 2.20m on his very first attempt, keeping himself among the leading contenders throughout the final.

The decisive moment came at 2.25m. After missing his first two attempts, Kushare responded under pressure by clearing the height on his final opportunity to secure the silver medal.

From a village in Maharashtra to the Commonwealth Games podium

Kushare’s journey to international success began far from world-class athletics facilities. Born on June 17, 1995, in Devargaon village in Maharashtra’s Nashik district, he grew up in a farming family. His father, Anil Kushare, worked as an onion farmer and had initially hoped his son would become a civil engineer.

Instead, Kushare chose athletics. His talent was spotted by school physical education teacher Raosaheb Jadhav, who introduced him to the high jump.

Training conditions were far from ideal. Without access to a professional landing mat, Jadhav, Kushare’s father and others created one using corn husks, agricultural waste, cotton and old clothes.

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Kushare first learned the scissors technique before gradually switching to the Fosbury Flop under Jadhav’s guidance despite the challenges of training without proper equipment.

Indian Army career changed everything

A major turning point came in 2016 when Kushare joined the Indian Army after earlier unsuccessful attempts. The move gave him access to better coaching, improved facilities and the stability needed to compete consistently at the highest level.

His rise gathered pace over the following years. He won the National Open Championships in 2018 before claiming gold at the South Asian Games in 2019. In 2022, he cleared 2.27m to win the National Games, followed by a silver medal at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships with a jump of 2.26m.

Later that year, he narrowly missed an Asian Games medal after finishing fourth with the same height.

National record and Diamond League success in 2026

Kushare continued rewriting Indian athletics history over the past two seasons. At the Paris Olympics in 2024, he became the first Indian men’s high jumper to compete at the Games. Although he exited in the qualification round after clearing 2.15m, his breakthrough on the global stage was only the beginning.

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In 2025, he became the first Indian male high jumper to qualify for the World Athletics Championships final. He then produced a personal best of 2.28m to finish joint-sixth among the world’s best athletes.

The biggest breakthrough arrived in June 2026 at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar. Kushare cleared 2.31m to break Tejaswin Shankar’s national record of 2.29m, becoming the first Indian to cross the 2.30m mark.

Just weeks before the Commonwealth Games, he also finished third on his Diamond League debut in Monaco with a clearance of 2.26m. The achievement made him only the fourth Indian athlete after Vikas Gowda, Neeraj Chopra and Murali Sreeshankar to finish on the podium at a Diamond League meeting.

Another milestone in a remarkable career

The Commonwealth Games silver medal is the latest achievement in a career built through persistence and steady progress.

From training on a homemade landing pit in rural Maharashtra to becoming India’s first men’s high jump Olympic representative, first World Championships finalist, national record holder, Diamond League podium finisher and now the country’s highest-ever Commonwealth Games medallist in the event, Kushare has continued to break new ground.

At 31, he is producing the best performances of his career, adding another historic chapter to Indian athletics with his landmark silver medal in Glasgow.

FAQs

What medal did Sarvesh Kushare win at the Commonwealth Games 2026?

Sarvesh Kushare won the silver medal in the men’s high jump with a clearance of 2.25m.

Why is Sarvesh Kushare’s Commonwealth Games medal historic?

He became the first Indian men’s high jumper to win a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games.