National record holder Sarvesh Kushare has already crossed the 2.30m mark, but the high jumper says his next target is even higher. After becoming the first Indian to clear 2.30m, Kushare has now set his sights on winning gold at the Asian Games and breaking the 2.35m barrier.Kushare created history by clearing 2.31m at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships on Saturday, improving the previous national record of 2.29m set by Tejaswin Shankar.The 31-year-old from Maharashtra became the first Indian high jumper to clear 2.30m. His jump is also the third-best performance in the world this season and the best among Asian athletes. He also crossed the Athletics Federation of India’s Asian Games qualification mark of 2.19m.After setting the national record, Kushare attempted 2.35m but could not clear the height in two attempts.“I will go for gold at the Asian Games and I am confident about it. The 2.35m mark will also fall, may be during the Commonwealth or the Asian Games,” Kushare said after his performance, as quoted by news agency.This will be Kushare’s second Asian Games. He had finished fourth at the 2022 Asian Games in China with a jump of 2.26m. He has also been named in India’s 32-member athletics squad for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, scheduled from July 23 to August 2.Soon after Kushare broke the national record, Tejaswin Shankar posted on social media: “Another mental barrier broken!! 2.30+ probably the last of the sticky records. 2.34-35 is just a matter of time.”When asked if clearing 2.30m had been a mental barrier, Kushare said, “Height is not easy. But if our preparation is according to that, anything is possible.“Going above 2.30m is very difficult. If we talk about 2017-18, had Tejaswin not done 2.26m, we would not have come ahead. He did 2.27m and then 2.29m, we also behind slowly. By the grace of God, everything was good and I was able to do it.”Kushare is currently training at the Anju Bobby George Foundation Academy in Bengaluru after previously training at the Army Sports Institute in Pune.Asked whether he had cleared 2.30m during training, he said, “There were attempts in practice, but not so many good attempts like the one I have here. Everything was new and good for me here. It was fun competing and breaking the national record.“But I have not attempted 2.35m in practice also.”
