Commonwealth Games 2026: Against the odds, Sarvesh Kushare finally has his moment

On an overcast and chilly Monday evening in Glasgow, Indian Army man Sarvesh Kushare quietly scripted one of the most inspiring chapters in Indian athletics history.

The 31-year-old Kushare became the first Indian to win a high jump silver medal in the Commonwealth Games' 136-year history, clearing a best of 2.25m in the final.

"This is my first major medal; I was just participating everywhere else, so I just aimed to give my 100% in everything," said Kushare after winning his medal in Glasgow.

Sarvesh Kushare was one of three Indians in the men's high jump final. While he watched the other two fall out of medal contention, he kept fighting and secured a podium finish for India.

In tough, cold conditions that caused cramps for many athletes due to the stop-start nature of the high jump, Kushare made a strong start, clearing his first four heights, including 2.20m, on his very first attempt.

However, he suddenly found himself slipping from the leading pack after failing his first two attempts at 2.25m. But he dug deep on his third attempt, cleared the bar, and sealed a medal for India.

Although he failed all three attempts at 2.28m, just like gold medallist Romaine Beckford of Jamaica, he had already secured the silver medal on countback.

"The Commonwealth and Asian Games offer you a big platform. You wait four years for these moments, so winning a medal means a lot. Such events also push you towards the Olympics," said a jubilant Kushare.

From makeshift pit to historic podium

Born into a farmer's family in Maharashtra, Sarvesh Kushare's father worked on onion farms and initially wanted his son to pursue academics and become an engineer.

However, Sarvesh had a different dream. From a young age, he chose the path of athletics. Though his father had other aspirations for him, he fully supported his passion and even created a makeshift high jump pit using corn husks, old clothes, and agricultural waste.

Sarvesh trained on this humble setup for most of his early years, never once complaining. With unwavering determination, he built his fundamentals and laid the foundation for his remarkable journey.

"I have my goals set. I can't study, but I can do my game, so I will stick to it and give it my best," he added.

He has now set his sights on the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where he will once again start among the favourites.

Early challenges

Success took time to arrive for Sarvesh. He first crossed the 2.15m mark in 2016 and made rapid progress, improving to 2.26m within just three years.

What followed, however, was a challenging six-year period during which he struggled to improve further. Time and again, he failed to clear higher marks, often finishing at the same height or even lower. It was a phase that tested his patience and resilience.

However, Sarvesh broke out of that prolonged plateau in spectacular fashion, setting a new personal best of 2.28m at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

That performance earned him a historic top-six finish at the World Championships, the best result ever by an Indian high jumper.

Now, at an age when many elite athletes begin contemplating the next phase of their careers, Sarvesh Kushare is peaking like never before.

This year, he broke India's eight-year-old national record and became the first Indian to breach the prestigious 2.30m mark, clearing 2.31m at the Inter-State Championships.

He then became the country's first high jumper to compete in a Diamond League event and has now continued his dream run by winning India's first-ever high jump silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.