Freshman Tejaswin Shankar Wins NCAA High Jump Title

EUGENE, Ore. – Kansas State track and field freshman Tejaswin Shankar concluded a standout freshman campaign on the third day of the NCAA track and field Championships, making history by clearing 2.24m/7-04.25 to win the NCAA title in the men's high jump in front of 11,644 fans at Historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on Friday.

Shankar's high jump championship marks the fifth time in the past 10 years a Wildcat has won the title in the event, while also becoming just the fifth freshman to ever win the coveted championship.

"This was probably the most confident I have been about someone going into the NCAA Championships," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said. "He has had a great past few weeks of practice and I knew he was going to jump high today."

Shankar jumped high early and often on Friday, clearing each of his four heights on his first attempt. Entering the competition at 2.08m/6-09.75, it was clear Shankar was in tune, despite battling the rainy conditions.

With the bar set at 2.21m/7-03, Shankar was just one of four individuals to clear the height, including just one of two individuals who had not missed an attempt after clearing 2.21m/7-03.

Tejaswin Shankar through four attempts:

2.08m/6-09.75 ?
2.13m/6-11.75 ?
2.18m/7-01.75 ?
2.21m/7-03 ?

Making it look easy... ?? pic.twitter.com/8ogQObnS7K
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) June 9, 2018

At 2.24m/7-04.25, each of the four high jumpers remaining struggled to clear the bar on their first and second attempts. Entering their final attempts, Shankar was set to be the final jumper of the competition.

"I tried not to think about it too much," Shankar said. "My coaching has taught me to perform in that moment and I just executed what I have been doing in my training."

After each of the competitors missed at 2.24m/7-04.25, Shankar used a clutch jump to secure his first NCAA Championship title, becoming the only individual to clear the height on the evening. Despite already winning the title, Shankar attempted to best his own Indian national record at 2.30m/7-06.50, though he would miss on his three attempts.

?? NATIONAL CHAMPION! ??

Freshman Tejaswin Shankar is your men's high jump National Champion, clearing 2.24m/7-04.25!

He becomes the FIFTH Wildcat to win the national championship in the past 1??0?? years, and the fifth freshman EVER to win the title! #KStateTF #HighJumpU pic.twitter.com/GJqrS7bOWD
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) June 9, 2018

"I think this year I had three really big goals. The first one was Commonwealth Games, and the second was the NCAA Indoor Championship, and third the NCAA Outdoor Championship," Shankar said. "Because I had to go to the Commonwealth Games I had to miss the NCAA Indoor Championship. But then I went to the Commonwealth Game, and I finished 6th there and jumped in front of 40,000 people, and so I think that experience helped me. And then today with everyone cheering on me, I could feel the Hayward magic."

HE DID IT! #KStateTF

Tejaswin Shankar is the men's high jump NATIONAL CHAMPION, clearing 2.24m/7-04.25 on his LAST attempt

The winning jump ?? pic.twitter.com/oMzqgtMopo
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) June 9, 2018

Shankar's high jump title makes him the fifth individual to win the championship and seventh high jump title in K-State history, while becoming the third Indian athlete to ever win an NCAA title, regardless of event. With his win, Shankar earned the Wildcats 10 points to finish out the men's team scoring in 27^th. The Georgia Bulldogs came out with the men's NCAA team Championship, scoring 52 points.

In addition to Shankar's performance, sophomores Nina Schultz and Ariel Okorie competed on Friday, where the sophomore duo got their women's heptathlon underway with four of the seven heptathlon events, the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200 meters.

Schultz, last year's runner-up at the NCAA Championships, progressed in the high jump portion of the heptathlon, leading to her third-place finish in the event. Schultz finished the event by clearing 1.75m/5-08.75 to earn 916 points.

Nina Schultz went on to finish second in the women's high jump with a clearance of 1.75m/5-08.75, earning 916 pts.

Through two events, Schultz stands in fifth place with 1,936 pts., while Okorie is in 21st with 1,746 pts. pic.twitter.com/nmONzlOOpu
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) June 8, 2018

Meanwhile, Okorie had her best performance of the day in the 100-meter hurdles, clocking a 13.78 in the opening event to place 12^th overall, earning 1,010 points.

Through four of seven events, Schultz stands in seventh with 3,452 points, while Okorie is in 23^rd with 3,102 points. Okorie and Schultz will continue their heptathlon performances on Saturday, where they will compete in the long jump, javelin and 800 meters.

The final day of the NCAA Championships picks up on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. CT, with the continuation of the women's heptathlon. The Wildcats will have six individuals competing on Saturday, including Schultz and Okorie in the heptathlon, junior Shadae Lawrence in the discus, sophomore Konstantina Romaiou and junior Shardia Lawrence in the women's triple jump and Ranae McKenzie in the 400-meter hurdles.

The NCAA Championships can be viewed throughout the meet's entirety on the ESPN Networks, with viewing information available here. Live results will be available throughout the meet, which can be accessed here.

For more information on the 2018 NCAA Championships, including a full schedule, ticket information and more, click here.

NCAA Championships (Day Three)
Hayward Field
Eugene, Oregon

Women's Heptathlon 100 Meter Hurdles
9. Nina Schultz, 13.71 (2.0) (1,020 pts.)
12. Ariel Okorie, 13.78 (.4) (1,010 pts.)

Women's Heptathlon High jump
3. Nina Schultz, 1.75m/5-08.75 (916 pts.)
23. Ariel Okorie, 1.60m/5-03 (736 pts.)

Women's Heptathlon Shot Put
13. Nina Schultz, 12.19m/40-00 (674 pts.)
22. Ariel Okorie, 9.13m/29-11.50 (506 pts.)

Men's High Jump Final
1. Tejaswin Shankar, 2.24m/7-04.25

Women's Heptathlon 200 Meters
17. Ariel Okorie, 25.41 (850 pts.)
19. Nina Schultz, 25.49 (842 pts.)

Women's Heptathlon Day One Scores
7. Nina Schultz, 3,452 points
23. Ariel Okorie, 3,102 points

For the latest on K-State track and field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Shadae Lawrence

Shardia Lawrence

Ranae McKenzie

Ariel Okorie

Konstantina Romaiou

Nina Schultz

Tejaswin Shankar

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