Glasgow [Scotland], August 2 : Indian athletes Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu Thirumaran secured silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the men's triple jump at the Commonwealth Games 2026, with both athletes expressing pride in their performances and thanking their families and support teams.
Speaking to ANI, Chithravel said he was happy to win a silver medal after narrowly missing out on a podium finish.
"I'm really so happy to get the silver medal in the Commonwealth Games. In 2022, during my last Commonwealth Games, I lost medal by 2 cm. So, right, I am happy to get the silver medal," Chithravel said.
The Indian athlete said the cold conditions made the competition challenging but added that he continued to push himself to deliver his best.
"I didn't have any pressure, but it's too cold; my body doesn't move, but I just keep trying to do my best. I always keep pushing myself to give the best," he said.
Chithravel also spoke about his family background, saying, "My father is farmer and my mother is housewife. I built everything on my own".
Looking ahead, Chithravel said his focus would now shift to the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4 in Japan.
"Next, I am focusing on the Asian Games," he added.
Meanwhile, Selva Prabhu, who clinched the bronze medal, said he was proud of himself and his parents, adding that representing India had been a long-standing dream for his family.
"I am feeling very proud of myself and my parents. This was a dream for them from the start. They always wanted me to represent India. I'm really happy," he told ANI.
Selva Prabhu said he remained focused on his performance.
"I was focused on medal. I was more focused on performance. Getting medal for India is a great thing," he said.
The athlete dedicated his medal to everyone who supported him throughout his journey. "I dedicate this medal to whoever supported me, my coaches, physios, teammates, friends, and family. They are always my backbone."
Chithravel produced a best effort of 16.58m on his fourth attempt to claim the silver medal, while Selva Prabhu registered a best jump of 16.52m to finish third and take bronze. Chithravel initially stood fifth after the opening three rounds, with a 16.05m effort on his first attempt. He then improved to 16.31m in the third round before producing his 16.58m leap in the fourth attempt to briefly move into the lead.
The twin podium finish adds to India's strong showing in athletics at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026.