"Finished for good" – Murali Sreeshankar recalls injury lay-off after World Athletics C'ships exit

Murali Sreeshankar faced a tough qualification round exit from the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Monday.

Sreeshankar registered a best leap of 7.78m in his three attempts to finish 25th overall in the competition.

With the automatic qualification mark to the final set at 8.15m or top 12 athletes to qualify for the final, Sreeshankar's run at the global event ended abruptly.

It was only two months ago that the long jumper made a stunning return after spending more than a year on the sidelines, due to an injury.

The 26-year-old from Kerala leapt over 8m in his very first competition on return as he made a late dash to qualify for the 2025 World Athletics Championships.

After his exit from the world championships, Sreeshankar recalled the tough injury period, where he was termed "finished for good" by critics.

"6 months ago when I took my first little jump post surgery, Tokyo 2025 was added to my wishlist," he wrote in a social media post. "Even when my wallet laughed at me , we took the chance to keep moving, keep rebuilding something what many called “finished for good“ .

"Countless hours in the gym , progress , setbacks , flare ups and it was never a smooth curve. But eventually , we were back!!

"In just 5 competitions across 3 countries in 42 days , we qualified for the World Championships. Though it was a tough exit here, without making the finals , this journey was something I would embrace for the rest of my life," he added.

Sreeshankar also thanked his physio, coach, parents, and sponsors in the heartfelt post.

He concluded by stating that he is already excited for the next season with the 2026 Asian Games and 2026 Commonwealth Games around the corner.

"Now, it’s time to turn the page. The past stays where it belongs, behind me. I’m healthy, hungry, and ready to train and compete as a full-time athlete again. Excited for the next season," he wrote.