Manhattan: Indian high jumper Tejaswin Shankar delivered a standout performance on the international indoor circuit, springing a major surprise by defeating Olympic and World Indoor Championships silver medallist Shelby McEwen to win the men’s high jump title at the DeLoss Dodds Invitational 2026 in Manhattan, Kansas.
According to reports from Olympics.com and other athletics-focused media outlets, the 27-year-old Indian athlete cleared a best height of 2.26 metres, emerging as the top performer in a field that included some of the United States’ leading high jumpers. McEwen finished second with a season-best effort of 2.22 m, while fellow American Devin Loudermilk also cleared 2.22 m to secure third place on countback.
The winning jump marked Tejaswin Shankar’s best clearance in three years, equalling the 2.26 m he achieved at the Indoor Grand Prix in Boston in 2023. Athletics observers noted that the performance signals a strong return to form for the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist as he builds momentum early in the 2026 season.
Media reports highlighted Tejaswin’s consistency throughout the competition. He began with a safe clearance at 2.05 m, followed by 2.10 m on his second attempt. He then successfully negotiated 2.14 m, 2.18 m and 2.22 m, before sealing the title with the decisive 2.26 m jump.
Tejaswin, who holds the Indian national high jump record of 2.29 m set in 2018, attempted to better his own mark by going for 2.30 m. However, despite three determined efforts, he was unable to clear the height. Analysts pointed out that the attempts nevertheless reflected his confidence and competitive intent against elite opposition.
The DeLoss Dodds Invitational is classified as a World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze-level meet, making the victory particularly significant in terms of ranking points and international exposure. This event was Tejaswin’s second competition of the season, following the Thane Baker Invitational held earlier in January, also in Manhattan.
Interestingly, at the earlier meet, Tejaswin competed not only in high jump-related training events but also took part in the 60 m hurdles and shot put, underlining his versatility as an athlete. In addition to his high jump credentials, he also holds India’s national record in the decathlon, a fact frequently noted by Indian and international sports media.
With this victory over a proven Olympic medallist, multiple sports outlets have described Tejaswin Shankar’s Kansas triumph as one of the most notable Indian performances on the global indoor athletics circuit so far this year, raising expectations ahead of upcoming international meets.