New Delhi, Oct 15 Star Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar has undergone minor ligament reconstruction surgery on his right ankle following an injury sustained at the Asian Games in Japan last month and is targeting a return to competition next season.
Sreeshankar, who had also undergone left knee surgery in 2024 that ruled him out of the Paris Olympics, won a silver medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Games on September 28.
Competing on a rain-soaked runway, he slipped on the take-off board while making his fourth attempt and twisted his right ankle. He was forced to skip his final two jumps, but his second-round mark of 8.07m was enough for him to win a silver medal.
“As much as I didn’t want to go through all this, I didn’t have a choice this time either. I underwent a minor ankle surgery yesterday (October 13) at Fortius Clinic London, under the care of Dr. Pieter D’Hooghe,” Sreeshankar wrote in a social media post.
A day after Sreeshankar’s injury, his father S Murali, who is also his coach, had told PTI that his son’s injury would heal after rest and rehabilitation. But, they decided for surgery after further consultations and investigations. He said the surgery was necessary to make his ankle stable and to get ready for the 2027 season.
“Courtesy of the slip off the takeoff board during the Asian Games, I injured my ligaments. After further consultations and investigations, surgery was deemed necessary to ensure that my ankle is stable and ready for the upcoming season, with the World Championships 2027 in Beijing and, most importantly, LA 2028.”
The 27-year-old returned to competitive action in 2025 after a long layoff due to the surgery in April 2024. He also won a silver medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
“Some of you might be wondering why this guy keeps getting injured again and again. Tbh (to be honest), I don’t have an answer to that. I could simply blame it on the wet takeoff board or perhaps my fate, but neither is going to help me. I’d rather accept what has happened and keep working towards becoming the best version of myself,” he said.
“But one thing I know for sure is that I have that extra comeback gene and the Mamba Mentality in me. That will do the job,” Sreeshankar, a fan of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, said.
He thanked the Sports Authority of India and Athletics Federation of India among others for ensuring that he received treatment from the best hand in the world.
“And yeah, here we go again !! Comeback 2.
(PTI News)
