Faster, higher, longer: decathlete Jashbir Nayak sets his sights on the Asian Games Premium

Jashbir Nayak's rapid rise in decathlon, aiming for Asian Games success, showcases his potential and determination in athletics.

Quietly, Jashbir Nayak has made rapid progress in the decathlon in about a year’s time. The Odisha athlete, who secured a silver medal with 6443 points in the Indian Open under-23 championships in Chandigarh last year, improved his performance significantly to win the gold this year in Patna with a new meet record — boasting an accumulation of 7065 points.

His noteworthy performance has not only underlined Nayak’s potential in athletics’ toughest event, but has also propelled his ambition to do well in the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.

Having broken a psychological barrier of 7000 points, 22-year-old Nayak is full of confidence.

“The scheduling was an issue in Patna. On day one, the second half of the competition began early so the time to rest was less. On day two, there was no rest. Otherwise, I think I could have gathered more points,” said Nayak.

“My aim was to rewrite the meet record (6975) of my senior Yaman Deep Sharma. Since I have crossed 7000 points, now my next target is improving it to 7500 so that I make it to the 2026 Asian Games. That’s my primary goal. If I continue to improve, then I may end up winning a medal there.”

Nayak’s progress has happened in fast-forward mode. A late beginner, Nayak was not a serious athlete until he completed his 12th standard. The son of a former army man who used to be a swimming coach, the youngster was encouraged by his father (Thayadhar Nayak) to take up an individual sport. He fondly remembers his short journey as an athlete.

“After the 12th standard, I was playing team sports — football and volleyball. I did not choose any particular event. My father said, ‘In a team sport, if you played well and others did not, then the team may lose. That is not the case in an individual sport.’