CWG: Eldhose Paul, Abdulla Aboobacker clinch medals in men's triple jump

Jah-Nhai Perinchief of Bermuda took bronze in the event.

On Sunday, Eldhose Paul won a historic gold medal in the men's triple jump event at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. This is India's third gold medal of the day and sixth overall at the Commonwealth Games in athletics. Abdulla Aboobacker, Paul's compatriot, won silver with a leap of 17.02m on his fifth attempt. Jah-Nhai Perinchief of Bermuda took bronze with a jump of 16.92m.

Indians dominate the Men’s triple jump final

It was an Indian 1-2 after five rounds, with Praveen Chithravel finishing fourth. At this point, he was 0.03m away from a bronze medal. He finished fourth with a best jump of 16.89 metres.

Eldhose Paul was the first competitor in the CWG event to clear 17 metres, achieving a personal best leap of 17.03 metres on his third attempt. Paul advanced to the World Championships finals in Eugene, where he jumped 16.79 metres. Only five Commonwealth triple jumpers qualified for the World Championships.

Paul was still scrambling in New Delhi four days before the World Athletics Championships in the United States to finalise his visa paperwork.

Eldhose received the date for his visa interview while competing in the Qosanov competition in Almaty (Kazakhstan) in a last-ditch effort to qualify for the Worlds through the rankings method.

He was successful, securing the final qualifying position in World Athletics' "Road to Oregon" rankings (the triple jump is a 32-man event) moments before the qualification doors closed.

Arpinder Singh, the Asian Games champion, was the last triple jumper to win a Commonwealth Games medal (bronze, Glasgow 2014).

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