Road to Paris: Praveen Chithravel leads India's triple-jump pursuit

Watching a triple-jumper in action is pure theatre.

At the top of the mark, the athlete takes stock of the runway and the sand pit. Thereafter, with a wave of the arms and rhythmic clapping, the crowd is activated.

And then, with a war cry, akin to starting an automobile, the jumper sprints away before leaping with arms outstretched.

With a range of expressions on display, the triple-jump is packed with adrenaline laced emotions.

Paris 2024 is fast approaching and with the Jun 30 qualification deadline just around the corner, the Indian triple-jumpers are in a race against time.

And this past weekend, at the 2024 Meeting Nikaia de Nice, a World Athletics Continental Bronze Tour event, India's best triple-jumpers converged in pursuit of the all importance qualification mark.

Bronze for Chithravel

Praveen Chithravel, India's premier triple-jumper, ended the meet with a best jump of 16.37m ( +1.1m/s) and finished behind Ethan Olivier of New Zealand -16.71m (+0.5m/s) and Amath Faye of Senegal-16.51m(+0.6m/s) to bag bronze.

Despite the bronze medal consolation, Chitravel is still off the Paris 2024 qualification mark of 17.22m.

The closest that he got this season was a 17.12m at the Indian Grand Prix-1 in Bangalore in April this year. A mere 10cm stood between him and that elusive ticket to Paris 2024 at the end of that meet.

Eldhose Paul was the other Indian in the fray at the meet at Nice. He, however, fared worse and his best of 16.27m ( +0.2m/s) wasn't enough for a podium finish.

At 17.37m, the Indian national men's triple-jump record belongs to Chithravel.

Race to Paris 2024

At the time of writing this, 11 of the available 32 spots stand booked.

While the remaining places are up for grabs, the qualification mark of 17.22m aside, the world rankings will decide which athletes will fill up the spots.

Chithravel is currently 20th on the world rankings and in line for qualification via the rankings route.

Similarly, Abdulla Narangolintevida, another Indian triple-jumper, is 19th on the world rankings.

Abdulla, however, hasn't had the best of seasons thus far and barring a superlative effort to attain the mark in upcoming meets, he will end up replying on the rankings for a Paris 2024 ticket.

As for Eldhose Paul, rankings are not on his side, and he will have to produce a personal best and a miracle to to attain the qualification mark of 17.22m.