Tejaswin Shankar saved his best for the big stage. The Indian all-rounder clinched the country’s only gold medal at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships 2026 in Tianjin, winning the men’s heptathlon with 5993 points — a new national indoor record. His previous mark was 5650, set in the USA in 2021.
Already leading after Day 1, Shankar stayed composed through the final events. He clocked 8.02 seconds in the 60m hurdles (977 points), cleared 4.20m in pole vault (673 points), and then sealed the title with a strong 2:43.91 finish in the 1000m (830 points). With two events left, he was nearly 485 points clear — the gold was firmly in his grasp.
India ended the meet with five medals, finishing sixth overall. China dominated the standings with 34 medals (10 gold, 11 silver, 13 bronze).
Earlier, Aadrash Ram Jothi Shankar had opened India’s account with a bronze, continuing a strong run for Indian athletes across major international events in 2026, including preparations for the upcoming Winter Olympics 2026.
For Tejaswin, who also holds India’s outdoor decathlon record (7826 points) and won Asian Games silver in 2023, this gold feels like another strong statement — he isn’t just competing, he’s raising the bar.
