April 16, 2024, was meant to be like any other day for Sreeshankar Murali. In the best shape of his life, he headed to the track in his native Palakkad for yet another training session. Set to begin his 2024 season a few days later at the Diamond League event in Suzhou, he was three months from living out his dream, to do what he couldn't at Tokyo: win an Olympic medal. Paris presented the perfect opportunity.
Until...
As he leapt off the board doing a routine he does day-in, day-out, he landed awkwardly in the sand pit and seconds later the dream was over. Years of training, of daily drills and sacrifices and all it took to end it was one awkward landing. From medal prospect to the sidelines in the blink of an eye, the cruel fragility of the dreams and hopes of an Olympian highlighted sharply.
Sreeshankar talks to ESPN about how tough that moment was, how his Paris Olympics dream vanished in the snap of a finger:
'Yeah, the Olympics are over for me'
It was a basic takeoff drill which all long jumpers do. It was a normal drill, which I have done a million times. The moment I landed awkwardly on the sand pit, I could not bend my knee.
I immediately knew the tendon was ruptured because I could see the kneecap on one side and the tendon on the other. I was not able to move. At that moment I realized 'Yeah, the Olympics are over [for me].' Before even the physio or doctor or anyone told me what happened, I knew [it].
My dad and physio lifted me out of the pit and the car came inside [the track]. I was rushed to the hospital. They took an x-ray and said the tendon had gone completely. The next day we went to Mumbai and Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala said surgery was the only option. It was a bit unfortunate because I didn't have any pain before that session. It was strange...pretty weird also.
My performance was going up, up and up. I was inarguably in the best shape of my life. I don't know how it happened. It's still a mystery to me. It was not even half a proper jump. Maximum five-six steps and then I took off. It's crazy, bro. Like, it's unbelievable.
It was too difficult for me to sleep
There is no point at all [in dwelling over it]. What happened was very simple. I just took off, the tendon broke, the dreams were shattered, surgery, recovery, rehabilitation. There is nothing much to think about. That's reality. At the end of the day, it is what it is. It's a complicated injury which requires a surgical intervention, and the body has its own time to recover and recoup. So we have to understand that.
It was too difficult for me to sleep. Even after my surgery, I was finding it difficult to sleep because this thought [of missing the Olympics] was literally haunting me.
The day after my injury, I left for Mumbai and then to Doha for my surgery and recovery. I couldn't even be with my parents, and I don't know what mental state they were in. They were also completely shattered. Everyone was looking forward to the Olympics, this was something which we've all been chasing for years. Whenever we work towards a short-term goal, the main goal is always the Olympics.
When I was 10 years old in the 6th standard, I knew that at the 2024 Olympics, I'd be 25 and that would be my peak stage. Suddenly, in a span of just a few seconds, things just turned around.
'If there is anyone who can come out of this, it is you'
There was a gap of a week between my injury and my surgery, and everyone called me, from Neeraj [Chopra] bhaiya to Tejaswin Shankar, Jeswin Aldrin, Praveen Chithravel, Eldhose Paul, Abdullah Aboobacker and Karthik. They all said, "This is just another phase in your life, you'll get back strong." I was getting so much love, encouragement and motivation from everyone.
I spoke to Neeraj bhaiya just before going for the surgery and he said "Bro, just be confident, don't stress, I am doing your hard work for you also here." Tejaswin was like if there is anyone who can come out of this, it is you. That was that moment I just picked myself up, within two days of the injury. I made that mental switch and from there, there was no turning back.
I have got a new knee and an extended career
If any setback happens, 90% [of your recovery] depends on your mindset. How you get back up and keep working towards it. I'm back to my shape in half the time expected - they said that I'll be back to my daily activities in three months, I was back in one and a half months.
I have got a new knee and an extended career, that's how I am looking at it. The way everything is progressing, I'm 100% sure that by next year I'll be in great shape. They have repaired my knee in such a good way that it's stronger than before also. My realistic target is next year's World Championships.
I don't feel any fear or anything. I just want to get back to jumping as soon as possible. It's addictive when you love your sport so much, when you have so much emotional attachment and commitment to it. It pulls you like a magnet.
I'll be a big fan cheering from India
I went to the Inspire Institute of Sport after the surgery. I was on crutches then, but I would spend all my evenings on the track. I'd walk up and down the long jump runway and on the sand to get a feeling of it so that I wouldn't forget it. It was so addictive, every day I would go to the track.
I just want India's athletes to enjoy the Olympics as much as possible and soak in the atmosphere. I hope they all do their personal best and do great performances for India. I'll be a big fan cheering for them from India.
I'm sure that very soon, I'll be back on the long jump runway again, jumping.