CWG 2026: Why did Sarvesh Kushare win silver despite clearing same height as gold medallist in men's high jump final?
Sarvesh Kushare cleared 2.25m on Monday at CWG 2026
India’s Sarvesh Kushare produced a historic performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland, on July 27. The 31-year-old athlete became India’s first-ever CWG silver medallist in the men’s high jump event, finishing second at the Scotstoun Stadium by clearing 2.25 metres.
The gold medal went to Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford, who also cleared 2.25m. England’s Kimani Jack finished third and bagged bronze by clearing 2.20m.
Related: Commonwealth Games 2026: India’s medal tally after Day 4, 27th July
Despite having to settle for second place, Kushare broke Tejaswin Shankar’s record at the Birmingham 2022 Games, where the latter had secured a bronze medal.
Unfortunately, on Monday, Shankar had to withdraw due to an unfortunate knee injury during warm-up. The third Indian in the event, Aadarsh Ram, finished fifth after clearing 2.15m.
Why did Sarvesh Kushare lose gold medal?
Interestingly, both Kushare and the gold medallist, Beckford, cleared the same height (2.25m). However, the Indian athlete failed to clinch the top prize due to the countback rule used in high jump competitions.
Both athletes cleared 2.25m, but ultimately failed to clear 2.28m, leaving them tied at the top. However, medals are not solely determined by the final height cleared.
Under World Athletics rules, when athletes finish on the same height, officials apply the countback rule. The athlete who cleared the highest height with fewer failed attempts in the event is ranked higher in the medal standings.
Related: Sarvesh Kushare wins historic high jump silver at Commonwealth Games 2026
Kushare failed to clear 2.25m in his first two attempts, only managing to succeed on his final attempt. Beckford, meanwhile, recorded a cleaner scorecard with fewer misses at earlier heights, also clearing 2.25m on his first attempt. As a result, the 24-year-old Jamaican athlete won the gold medal.
Apart from Kushare, five other Indian athletes also won medals on Day 4 of the CWG 2026. Sharmila and Shilpa K Shyla won a gold and a bronze, respectively, in the women’s shot put F57 event.
In the weightlifting contingent, Gyaneshwari Devi won silver in the women’s 53 kg event, Bindyarani Devi won bronze in the women’s 58 kg event, and Valluri Ajaya Babu won silver in the men’s 79 kg event.
Where and when will Commonwealth Games 2026 take place?
The CWG 2026 will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.
What did Sarvesh Kushare win at Commonwealth Games 2026?
He won silver in the men’s high jump, clearing 2.25m, which marked India’s best-ever finish in the event at the CWG.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.