Arizona - Indian high jump athlete Tejaswin Shankar emerged victorious in the men's high jump event at the USATF Throw Festival 2024 held in Tucson, Arizona. Shankar secured the title with a season's best jump of 2.23 meters, edging out competitors from the USA and Mexico.

The top three jumpers in the event all cleared the 2.23-meter mark, with USA's Ernest Sears finishing second and Mexico's Roberto Wilches in third place. Shankar's personal best is 2.29 meters, a national level record set in 2018.

The USATF Throw Festival is a silver level meet on the World Athletics Continental Tour, providing athletes with an opportunity to earn Olympic ranking points ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024 scheduled for July-August this year.

To qualify for the men's high jump event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, athletes must meet specific entry standards or achieve a world ranking. Only 32 athletes, with a maximum of three per country, can qualify.

Shankar, 25, currently ranked 63rd in the world, has participated in five events this year, including the International High Jump Gala in Belgium and the Shocker Spring Invitational in Kansas. Meanwhile, Asian Athletics Championships silver medalist Sarvesh Kushare finished fifth in Arizona with a jump of 2.13 meters, below his personal and season's best.