Bhubaneswar, Jun 18 (IANS): Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar punched his ticket for the upcoming World Athletics Championships with a massive 8.41m leap at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships 2023, here on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Sreeshankar achieved his personal best on his first attempt during the heats at the Kalinga Stadium. He, however, fell short of Jeswin's Aldrin's national record by 0.01m but easily breached the world championships qualifying mark of 8.25m.

S Murali had also crossed the 8.25m mark in an athletics meet in California, USA last month with an 8.29m effort but since his jump was wind-assisted, it did not help him make the cut for the world championships.

Last week, the star jumper registered an impressive 8.09m attempt to finish third in the men's long jump event at the Paris Diamond League 2023.

Fellow jumpers Jeswin Aldrin managed a 7.83m long jump during the heats to be placed second while Muhammed Anees Yahiya was third with 7.71m jump, as a total of 12 long jumpers successfully advanced to the final, which is scheduled to take place on Monday.