Indian Long Jumper Jeswin Aldrin Withdraws From Lausanne Diamond League Citing Fitness Issues

National record holder and season’s world leader long jumper Jeswin Aldrin has pulled out of the Diamond League in Lausanne, Switzerland, on June 30 as he ”is not fully fit” for the prestigious event.

Aldrin was to compete in Lausanne along with fellow Indian Murali Sreeshankar, who had won a bronze in the Paris leg of the Diamond League earlier this month.

”Aldrin is out of Lausanne Diamond League as he is not 100 per cent fit. He wants to spend more time to achieve full fitness,” a source privy to the development told PTI on Thursday. The 21-year-old Aldrin had competed at the National Inter-State Championships which ended on Monday in Bhubaneswar where he finished second behind Sreeshankar with a jump of 7.98m, which bettered the Asian Games qualifying mark of 7.95m.

Sreeshankar had jumped a stunning 8.41m during the qualifying round before winning gold with 8.29m effort in the final.

Aldrin, who had a bout of COVID-19 earlier in the season, had said that he was taking part in the National Inter-State to ”save” his place for the Asian Games (September 23 to October 8).

The Athletics Federation of India had made it mandatory for all the athletes — except for Neeraj Chopra and Avinash Sable — to take part in the National Inter-State Championships if they are to be considered for the Asian Games.

”I was in not in great shape in this competition. I just wanted to save my place for the Asian Games, that was the plan and I did that,” he had said after the National Inter-State Championships.

”I wanted to give a decent jump, at least around 8.10m. But there was more pain on the groin, so I just planned to stop.” On Thursday, Aldrin was named in the 54-member Indian team for the Asian Championships to be held in Bangkok from July 12-16, but he could be doubtful for the continental event also.

Aldrin is the world leader this season after his national record jump of 8.42m in March during a domestic event at Bellary, while Sreeshankar is second in the top list prepared by World Athletics with his 8.41m effort.