India's Selva Prabhu wins triple jump NCAA outdoor championships in USA

Indian athlete Selva Prabhu clinched the men's triple jump title at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, delivering a standout performance on Friday. The NCAA Championships are the most prestigious collegiate athletics competitions in the United States and have long served as a launchpad for future international stars. Representing Kansas State University, the 21-year-old produced a best effort of 16.92m to finish atop a field of 24 competitors. The victory also ended a 40-year wait for Kansas State in the men's outdoor triple jump, with the university's previous champion crowned in 1986.

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 Prabhu's winning mark came on his second attempt. Despite recording four fouls during the competition, none of his rivals were able to surpass the distance, with Kevin Kemboi finishing second after a best jump of 16.84m. The gold medal adds to what has already been a memorable season for the Indian.

Earlier this year, he secured silver at the NCAA Indoor Championships, where he crossed the 17-metre barrier for the first time in his career with a leap of 17.05m. Prabhu's triumph is also a significant milestone for Indian athletics, marking the country's first NCAA Outdoor Championships title since Indian high jumper Tejaswin Shankar won gold in 2022. Shankar had earlier claimed the same crown in 2018. Who is Selva Prabhu?

Selva Prabhu hails from Madurai in Tamil Nadu and has won a silver for India at the World U20 Championships in 2022, when he was just 17. After pursuing a bachelor's degree in English Literature in Trichy, the 21-year-old moved to Kansas State University in the US. Selva Prabhu has earlier trained at the Inspire Institute of Sports in Bellari. The youngster has already cleared the Athletics Federation of India criteria of 16.28m jump for the Asian Games 2026.