Mandaviya Hails India's Double Podium in CWG Triple Jump
Synopsis
India claimed a stunning double podium in the Men's Triple Jump at CWG 2026, with Praveen Chithravel winning silver and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran bronze. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya hailed the achievement as a massive proud moment for the nation, reflecting India's deepening investment in track-and-field athletics.
Key Takeaways
Praveen Chithravel won the silver medal in the Men's Triple Jump at the 2026 Commonwealth Games .
Selva Prabhu Thirumaran secured the bronze medal in the same event, giving India a rare double podium finish.
Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated both athletes on 1 August 2026 , calling it 'a massive proud moment for the nation.' India's Khelo India programme (2017) and Target Olympic Podium Scheme (2014) form the policy backbone supporting such performances.
A double podium in a single field event signals growing depth — not just individual brilliance — in Indian athletics.
Two Indians on the same podium — silver and bronze in the Men's Triple Jump — handed India one of its most electric moments at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Union Labour and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya celebrated the feat on Saturday, 1 August 2026, calling it 'a massive proud moment for the nation.'
Chithravel's Silver and Thirumaran's Bronze
Praveen Chithravel claimed the silver medal while Selva Prabhu Thirumaran secured bronze in the Men's Triple Jump final, giving India a rare double finish on the podium in a single field event. Mandaviya posted his congratulations on X, writing: 'Double podium in the Men's Triple Jump! Heartiest congratulations to Praveen Chithravel on winning Silver and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran on securing Bronze.' Both athletes have been part of India's growing push in track-and-field disciplines, a category where the country has historically punched below its weight at multi-sport events.A Pattern Built on Policy Investment
The result did not emerge in a vacuum. India's Khelo India programme, launched in 2017, was designed precisely to build the kind of grassroots talent pipeline that produces athletes capable of competing — and winning — at events like the Commonwealth Games. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), introduced in 2014, layers targeted financial and training support on top of that foundation for athletes with genuine medal prospects. Successive governments have steadily increased central funding for athletics infrastructure, and the results in field events are beginning to reflect that investment. A double podium in triple jump is not an accident — it is the compounding of years of structured support.What a Double Podium Means for Indian Athletics
Triple jump is a technically demanding discipline requiring explosive power, precise coordination, and elite coaching. Seeing two Indian athletes reach the podium in the same final signals a depth of talent — not a single outlier performance — that is genuinely new for Indian field athletics. For the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the moment also carries a messaging value: sports as a vehicle for national pride, with individual names and faces attached to a broader policy story. Chithravel and Thirumaran now carry the weight of expectation into the next Olympic qualification cycle — and India will be watching.Point of View
Publicly amplifying individual athlete achievements is consistent with a broader political strategy of linking government investment to visible sporting outcomes. The result also raises the stakes ahead of the next Olympic qualification cycle, where depth in field events will matter as much as peak performance. If India can sustain this pattern across disciplines, it would mark a genuine structural shift in the country's athletics landscape.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Men's Triple Jump at CWG 2026?
Praveen Chithravel won the silver medal and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran won the bronze medal in the Men's Triple Jump at the 2026 Commonwealth Games , giving India a double podium finish.
What did Mansukh Mandaviya say about the CWG triple jump result?
Mansukh Mandaviya posted on X calling it 'a massive proud moment for the nation' and extended his 'heartiest congratulations' to both Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran.
What is the Khelo India programme?
The Khelo India programme was launched in 2017 to build grassroots sports talent pipelines across India and provide structured support to elite athletes competing at international events.
What is the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)?
TOPS was introduced in 2014 to provide targeted financial and training assistance to Indian athletes identified as genuine medal prospects at the Olympics and other top multi-sport events.
How significant is India's double podium in triple jump?
A double podium — silver and bronze — in a single field event at the Commonwealth Games signals growing depth in Indian athletics, not just a one-off individual performance, and reflects years of structured government investment in the discipline.
