Triple jumper Selva Prabhu Thirumaran returned from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with a bronze medal on Saturday, completing a historic double podium for India alongside compatriot Praveen Chithravel, who claimed silver. The feat — both medallists from Tamil Nadu and both training under JSW — has energised the 21-year-old's family and set his sights firmly on the Asian Games and the Olympics.

The Medal-Winning Performance

Praveen Chithravel, India's national record holder in the triple jump, leapt 16.58m to secure silver — a result that erased the memory of narrowly missing the podium by just three centimetres at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Selva Prabhu matched the occasion with a season's best of 16.52m to claim bronze, ensuring two Indian flags were raised at the medal ceremony in Glasgow.

What Selva Prabhu's Father Said

Speaking from Chennai after the result, Selva's father Thirumaran said the family had dared to dream even bigger. 'I am extremely happy that my son has won the bronze medal. I was expecting him to win the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. But the conditions there were very difficult, so he couldn't perform to his full potential,' he said.

Thirumaran revealed he had spoken to his son on the morning of the final and urged him to cross the 17-metre mark. 'This morning, when I spoke to him, I told him he would cross 17 metres. But the changing weather conditions affected his performance. Still, we are very happy with this medal. Our entire family and relatives are overjoyed. I can't even describe how happy we are,' he added.

Looking ahead, Thirumaran expressed full confidence in his son's Olympic prospects. 'He's only 21 years old and has a bright future ahead. If both the Central and State Governments continue to support him well, he can definitely win an Olympic medal. He will also win the gold medal at the upcoming Asian competition,' he said.

Asian Games and the Road Ahead

Selva Prabhu has already been selected for the Asian Games in Japan, scheduled approximately two months from the Glasgow final. His father expressed confidence that the young jumper would claim gold there. This comes after an impressive run on the American collegiate circuit — Selva recently won the NCAA outdoor gold medal in the United States with a jump of over 17.5 metres, and has accumulated four NCAA medals in total. Combined with his two senior international medals, he now holds six international medals overall.

The Support System Behind the Athlete

Selva Prabhu has been competing in the triple jump since the age of 11. He received early institutional backing from the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), which supported him through school and provided hostel accommodation until Class 12. He currently studies and trains at the University of Kansas in the United States and is also associated with JSW for his training programme.

Thirumaran, who comes from a farming background, acknowledged the role of government support while calling for its continuation. 'Going forward, we need continued support from the Tamil Nadu Government and the Central Government. If they continue to support him with sports nutrition, accommodation, training, and everything else he needs, he will bring great honour to the Tamil Nadu Government,' he said.

With two medals from Glasgow and an NCAA gold already in 2024, Selva Prabhu Thirumaran appears to be on a trajectory that could make him one of India's most credible medal contenders at a future Olympics — provided the institutional backing his father is counting on keeps pace with his ambition.