Prateek Tanmay
Thirumaran did not know what to do with his son. The boy would not stop running. He was everywhere, always moving, always restless. So the farmer from Madurai took Selva Prabhu to a doctor.
“He was very hyperactive. When the doctor asked what he wanted to do, he stunned everyone by saying that he wanted to win a medal for the country,” Thirumaran told The Indian Express from Madurai. “We never told him anything about sport. His elder brother used to play football but the answer was quite amusing to me. That is when I decided to take him to the nearest stadium.”
On Friday in Eugene, Oregon, that child jumped 16.92m to win the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships triple jump title, becoming only the fourth Indian to win an NCAA championship. It was not straightforward. He struggled to find the board on four of his six attempts. But his second jump, 16.92m, held up against a 24-man field for the full competition. He is the first Kansas State men’s outdoor triple jump champion since 1986.
Thirumaran is a traditional farmer who plants seasonal crops. He sold four acres of his land to fund his son’s early career.
“He started early and showed promise in the long jump. We had to take him to different competitions, so I sold my land whenever needed to fund his trips and training then,” he said. The sacrifice was made without certainty, on the word of a hyperactive boy in a doctor’s waiting room.
“My family has supported me from day one. They’re proud of how far I’ve come and this title belongs to them as much as it does to me because of all the sacrifices they’ve made for me,” Selva told The Indian Express after winning the NCAA title.
He started with a jump of 16.20m in his attempt and then recorded 16.92m. He failed record a legal jump in the next four attempts but his second jump was good enough to make him the champion. (Credit: K-State Track and Field)
Selva’s talent caught the eye of coach Sreenivasan at the Sports Hostel in Tiruchirappalli. “I saw him at the Sports Hostel meets. He won medals at Junior State meets and school nationals. But I always thought that he would make a better triple jumper,” the coach said.
Story continues below this ad
From long jump to triple jump
The switch was built on a specific observation. “It is rare to have an athlete who has good balance in both legs and equal strength. Usually, triple jumpers rely on speed but Selva is explosive. So, I asked him to make a switch and after the switch he started to improve every year,” Sreenivasan explained. After the switch, Selva climbed from 14m to 16m across three seasons. The biggest moment before Friday came at the U20 World Championships in Colombia, where he jumped 16.15m to win silver.
He moved to the Inspire Institute of Sport, where he trained alongside national record holder Praveen Chithravel under two-time Olympic medallist Cuban Yoandri Betanzos. At the national camp in 2022, Sreenivasan had to make his own choice.
The triple jump crown belongs to Selva Prabhu 👑
Prabhu wins the event with a jump of 16.92m, becoming the first men’s outdoor triple jump champion for @KStateTFXC since 1986. #NCAATF x 🎥 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/IKHspLdnyF
— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) June 13, 2026
“I had to move to National camp in 2022 and pick a specialization. I picked sprints and Selva moved to train under coach Betanzos where he improved further,” the coach said. While Sreenivasan went on to spot another future record holder in Vishal TK at the camp, Selva chose his own direction: Kansas State University, joining in January last year.
He arrived as a freshman in a foreign country and within two years had become a national champion. The American circuit suited him from the start. This season alone he has crossed 17m twice, once while breaking the indoor national record with 17.05m, and then reaching 17.19m with wind assistance.
“Everything became more professional and structured. Balancing academics and athletics taught me discipline, time management, and how to take care of my body every day,” said Selva about his move to the US.
Story continues below this ad
Friday’s title is his second major medal on the NCAA circuit after silver at the Indoor Finals earlier this year. He joins a short list: Mohinder Singh Gill, Vikas Gowda, Tejaswin Shankar and Lokesh Satyanathan are the only other Indians to have won NCAA championships.
Thirumaran watched from Madurai. “Whatever he said as a kid, I want that wish to come true,” he said. “He wants to win a medal for India. He has the potential.”
The farmer who sold his land is still waiting for that one. So is his son.
