Indian athletics witnessed a watershed moment at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow as Tejaswin Shankar secured a historic bronze medal in the men’s decathlon. The 27-year-old Shankar accumulated 7,976 points across the 10 demanding track-and-field disciplines to become the first Indian ever to win a medal in Commonwealth Games history in the decathlon.
Grenada’s Lindon Victor successfully defended his title to claim the gold medal with a tally of 8,096 points, completing a hat-trick of Commonwealth titles. Tokyo Olympic champion Damian Warner of Canada secured silver with 8,036 points, while Shankar stood alongside them to secure India’s place on the multi-discipline athletics map.
Grit Over Injury: A Two-Day Rollercoaster
Shankar’s campaign was defined by raw determination. Battling a painful patellar tendon injury that had earlier forced him out of the individual high jump competition, he pushed through two grueling days at Scotstoun Stadium.
Day 1 Highlights
- 100m Dash: Clocked 10.96 seconds (870 pts).
- Long Jump: Delivered a personal best of 7.82 metres (1,015 pts).
- High Jump: Cleared 2.15 metres (944 pts) to stay close to the leaders.
- 400m: Finished in 49.51 seconds (837 pts), closing Day 1 in 2nd overall position with 4,339 points.
Day 2 Determination
- 110m Hurdles: Ran 14.41 seconds (922 pts).
- Discus & Pole Vault: Threw a personal best of 40.44m in discus (674 pts) and cleared 4.30m in pole vault (702 pts).
- Javelin: A season-best throw of 53.12m (635 pts) propelled him solidly into 3rd position heading into the final race.
- 1,500m Final: Clocked 4:36.19 (704 pts) to officially seal his podium finish.
Expanding India’s Multi-Event Legacy
Shankar previously won a high jump bronze at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games before shifting his primary focus to the 10-event decathlon. His accolades in the decathlon also include a silver medal at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou and a silver at the 2025 Asian Championships.
This bronze medal marks India’s second-ever medal in decathlon at a major global multi-sport competition and reinforces Shankar’s place as one of the most versatile track-and-field athletes in Indian history.
