MP athlete Ankit becomes world No 1 in long jump

After his record leap of 8.04m in the recently concluded National Games, Madhya Pradesh's Ankit Sharma became the world number one long jumper in senior outdoor category, the International Association of Athletics Federation declared.

Updated on: Feb 16, 2015, 22:13:40 IST

Hindustan Times | By Shruti Tomar, Bhopal

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After his record leap of 8.04m in the recently concluded Kerala National Games, Madhya Pradesh athlete Ankit Sharma became the world number one long jumper in senior outdoor category, the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) declared.

He is the fifth athlete from India to cross 8m and the first from the state. He won a gold medal in the Kerala Games for his feat.

Talking to HT Ankit said, "It’s a dream come true. Every sportsperson wants to see his or her name on the top. I have started this year with a new record and would try to improve it further by touching 8.16m, the highest in long jump."

Ankit, who hails from Morena district of MP, said, "In our state, especially in Chambal region, there is no dearth of talent. I have seen many talented athletes but without proper facilities they can’t progress."

On the proposed athletics academy by the state government, Sharma said, "The academy can throw open chances for many athletes. I have even talked to the chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan about it, but nothing has happened." "The state government neither provides good jobs nor training facilities for athletes," he added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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