TC Yohannan: Golden jubilee of historic Asian Games triumph

TC Yohannan etched his name in history books by becoming the first Asian to cross the 8-meter mark in long jump at the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran. His leap of 8.07 meters not only secured him the gold medal but also shattered both the Asian and Asian Games records.

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First Published Sep 12, 2024, 1:21 PM IST | Last Updated Sep 12, 2024, 1:21 PM IST

Today marks the golden jubilee of a historic achievement in Indian sports - the day TC Yohannan clinched the first individual gold medal by a Malayali athlete at the Asian Games. This momentous feat was achieved at the 1974 Tehran Asiad.

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On September 12, 1974, at the Aryamehr Stadium in Tehran, TC Yohannan soared into the annals of history during the men's long jump final. In his fourth attempt, Yohannan jumped an astonishing 8.07 meters, securing the gold medal and etching his name in the record books. This remarkable jump not only earned him the title of the first Asian to cross the 8-meter mark in long jump but also shattered both the Asian and Asian Games records.

What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that Yohannan had been battling a leg injury sustained during training. The athlete from Ezhukone, Kollam, had to wait for three decades to see his national record surpassed. It was only in 1993 that Yohannan's Asian record was finally broken. Adding to his legacy, Yohannan held the Asian Games record until the 1994 Hiroshima Asiad, a testament to his extraordinary talent and dominance in the sport.

Yohannan, who received the Arjuna Award in 1974, was considered a strong medal contender for India at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. However, a persistent injury forced him to withdraw from the Games. A subsequent injury during a training camp in Patiala brought a premature end to his promising career, cutting short his journey to even greater heights in the world of athletics.

Indian long jump has progressed a great deal since and the current national record is 8.42m held by Jeswin Aldrin. The Tamil Nadu athlete broke Murali Sreeshankar's previous record of 8.36m, set in 2022. Kerala-born Sreeshankar, who has won silver medal at the Commonweal Games and Asian Games, is one of India's brightest prospects in the event.