Commonwealth Games silver medallist triple jumper Praveen Chithravel is confident of recovering from a blood clot in his right calf in time for the Aichi-Nagoya Asiad.

Chithravel has resumed training after a break. “I had been doing high-intensity training for five months. After the CWG, I was doing three weeks of load training for the Asian Games at the camp in the Czech Republic. The first week was good. I got a cramp while doing a take-off around August 10,” he told The Hindu on the sidelines of the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Saturday (August 22, 2026).

“There is a blood clot. Initially, I couldn’t run. I took 10 days’ rest. I’ve started training from Monday — jogging and easy sessions. I’ve around a month for the Asian Games.”

The National record holder (17.37m in May 2023), who won bronze (16.68m) at the last Asiad despite a quadriceps issue, is not chasing a medal colour. “I want to do a good jump and end the season happily. If I jump 17.50m and finish fourth, I’ll be happy.”

Chithravel, who missed a medal by two centimetres to finish fourth (16.89m) in Birmingham 2022 — where Eldhose Paul and Abdulla Aboobacker won gold and silver — said his silver in Glasgow was four years in the making.

“I waited for this moment since 2022. I had a wallpaper on my phone. I knew a lot would change with this medal. So I worked hard, changed my technique and running approach and started training with Cuban coach Yoandri Betanzos.

“That day, I don’t know what happened to everyone. Medal-wise I’m happy, but performance-wise I’m not. Actually, it’s my gold. Maybe at the Olympics, I’ll get the gold.”

Chithravel has taken on a mentor’s role for Selva Prabhu, who won bronze in Glasgow. “Selva is the next generation, he is pushing me. Seniors supported me, so I’m supporting him. Arpinder Singh, Eldhose and Aboobacker, then it’s me and Selva. We want to keep the CWG medals. More triple-jumpers will come for 2030 CWG in India. I’m just 25, so I’ll be there for the next CWG and Asiad,” he said.

Published - August 22, 2026 06:44 pm IST