Murali Sreeshankar claims long jump gold in Greece

Murali Sreesankar, India's distinguished long jumper has clinched gold at the 12th International Jumping Meet in Greece on Thursday. Sreesankar leapt a distance of 8.31m to secure the gold medal at the meet happening in Kallithea.

Sreesankar created a record last month with a jump of 8.36m and is currently the national record holder. 

While Sreesankar clinched the gold, Swede Thobias Montler won the silver with a jump of 8.27m. In the 10-man field, France's Jules Pommery settled for the bronze medal with a jump of 8.17m. 

"Sreeshankar consistently jumping far. In 12th International Jumps Meeting, Kallithea, Greece, event part of World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze.
Performance 8.31 meters," Athletics Federation of India tweeted.

Competing in his first outdoor international meet since the Olympics campaign, Sreeshankar warmed up on Wednesday evening with jumps of 7.88 and 7.71 metres before leaping 8.31 metres.

Sreeshankar came into the competition on the back of his excellent domestic form where he repeatedly breached the 8m mark.

The Kerala athlete logged 8.14m and 8.17m at the season-opening Indian Open Jumps Competitions in Thiruvanthapuram before breaking his own national record at the Federation Cup in Kozhikode after a close battle with Tamil Nadu's Jeswin Aldrin.

Indian athletes have been training and competing in Europe over the last few weeks.