‘The 2.35m mark will also fall’: Sarvesh Kushare sets new target after breaking high jump national record | More Sports News

national record holder Savish Kusare Having already passed the 2.30m mark, the high jumper said his next goal is even higher. After becoming the first Indian to run 2.3m, Kushale is now aiming to win gold Asian Games and broke through the 2.35m barrier.Kushale created history by clearing 2.31m at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships on Saturday, breaking the previous national record of 2.29m set by Tejaswin Shankar.The 31-year-old from Maharashtra became the first Indian high jumper to clear 2.30m. His jump is also the third best in the world this season and the best among Asian athletes. He also crossed the Athletics Federation of India Asian Games qualifying mark of 2.19 million.After setting the national record, Kusare tried 2.35m, but failed to break the height in both attempts.“I will compete for the gold medal at the Asian Games and I am confident about that,” Kusare said after the race, according to the news agency. “The 2.35m mark will also come down, maybe during the Commonwealth or Asian Games.”This will be Ku’s second time participating in the Asian Games. He finished fourth at the 2022 Asian Games in China with a throw of 226m. He has also been named in the 32-member Indian athletics team for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2.Shortly after Kushare broke the national record, Tejaswin Shankar posted on social media: “Another mental barrier broken!! 2.30+ may be the last sticky record. 2.34-35 is just a matter of time.”When asked if clearing 2.30m was a mental hurdle, Kushare said: “Heights are not easy. But if we follow this preparation, anything is possible.“Beyond 2.30m is very difficult. If we talk about the 2017-18 season, if Tejaswin had not completed 2.26m, we would not have been ahead. He completed 2.27m and then 2.29m and we were slowly falling behind. By the grace of God, everything was fine and I was able to do it.”Kushale previously trained at the Army Sports Academy in Pune and is currently training at the Anju Bobby George Foundation Academy in Bengaluru.When asked whether he broke 2.30m in training, he said: “There are attempts in training, but there are not as many good attempts as I have here. Everything here is new and beneficial to me. It is fun to compete and break the national record.”“But I haven’t tried 2.35m in practice either.”