Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar wins Jimmy George Award for the best sportsperson of Kerala

Long jump Olympian Murali Sreeshankar has been honored with the 35th Jimmy George Foundation Award for the best sportsperson in Kerala. The award consists of one lakh rupees and a plaque.

Also Read: Anahat Singh makes history as youngest National Squash Champion in over two decades

The winner was selected by a committee with Chairman Jose George and members Anju Bobby George, Robert Bobby, Sebastian and Stanley. The award will be presented to Murali Sreeshankar at the Jimmy George Sports Academy at Peravoor, Kannur, on December 22.

Murali Sreeshankar, who participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, gained international attention after winning a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. He won silver medals in the Asian Games in China and Asian Championships in Thailand and also a bronze in the Paris Diamond League this year. The No.4 athlete was also seventh in the World Championships in the USA last year.

Murali Sreeshankar left sprinting at the age of 13 and later pursued a career in the long jump. Till the age of 20, he has crossed the distance of 8m thrice. Murali engraved the logo Olympics (5 rings) on his bedroom mirror after being qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He used to practice in Palakkad's government medical college's ground for practicing for Tokyo Olympics.

Also Read: Dhiraj Bommadevara secures India's first 2024 Paris Olympics quota place in archery

Murali Sreeshankar began his career by sprinting and won state-level under-10 championships in 50 and 100 meters respectively. He won the gold medal at the Federation Cup Senior National Athletics championships, Patiala in March 2018. He is the 4th athlete from Kerala to qualify for Olympics since 1972. Murali gained his first international medal in 2018 at the Asian Junior Athletics Championships in Gifu, Japan.