‘It's a door-opener': Krishna Jayasankar set to become first Indian woman to compete in US Collegiate competition finals
Remembering to speak English slowly and enunciate words clearly during her Fox5 News TV interview was one of the briefs that Krishna Jayasankar received from her American coaches, she recalls with a chuckle.
The shot putter and discus thrower is the first Indian woman to qualify for the NCAA Track & Field Championships, currently underway at Eugene. And her breathless vocal motor speed, where she belts out extremely well-thought-out answers on myriad posers at a hip hopper's clip, got coaches including sprint legend and her University of Nevada (UNLV) coach Carmelita Jeter, to offer tips on more than technique and power shifts in her throws.
'They kept telling me, 'Krish, pace yourself when speaking on TV. Talk slowly in interviews,' she says of a breakthrough season, as she worked her way up to NCAA mains qualification, and also became popular on TV networks. 'I was excited to be on TV and the Las Vegas media has always been so supportive to UNLV students. I want to change perceptions. People of my body structure (muscular, throwers) – they don't consider us beautiful. But I advocated for body positivity,' she added.
American University track & field athletes tend to gather quite a bit of stardom but being invited to a local network and going national subsequently, meant Krishna gave voice to the lesser-known female throwing ilk and also spoke for athletes of Indian ethnicity.
Born to international basketballers Prasanna and Jayasankar Menon in Chennai, the 23-year-old has trained variously at Vijayawada, Jamaica and the University of Texas, but transferred to Nevada, following a previous coach. She also works part-time at the Thomas & Mack Centre, an arena where Sinatra once sang and where Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke Wilt Chamberlain's points record in Las Vegas.
'I'm a people person and I work customer-facing shifts at the ticketing centre, resolving issues. Vegas has massive events, so it's a lot of work, but I need to. It's challenging — a part-time job, full-time athlete and student,' she says, of what is the reality for many Indian student-athletes, even if on sports scholarships. It helps, though, that she communicates at a fast-clip English speed that boggles many Americans, she laughs.
The recent chaos in student and immigration visas has also meant she hasn't returned to India or seen family since last September while working in the fall. Through it all, she navigated a very negative head-space, dealing with injuries and a rough last season, plus the uncertainty of University coaches leaving and new ones joining.
'When I came to the US, as an Indian and a girl who loved throws, the dream was to be at the NC Double A finals. But 2025 has been a worthwhile grind,' she said.
Krishna went in ranked No. 45 out of 48 athletes in her division, amongst 25 Universities, and broke the school record set in 1999, on the way, rung in a personal best of 55.61m in the outdoor discus and currently holds an indoor national record in the shot put. She is still some way off the Indian outdoor national records but finished No. 7 in her division and at No. 12 on the US collegiate list.
'It's great to be the first woman out of 1.3 billion and it's a door-opener, but out there I'm out of my comfort zone and getting here took resilience. Knee cap still hurts from the injury, and I take painkillers after every throw. The ankle and calf burn unbearably,' she says.
Her move from Texas to Nevada through a transfer portal was particularly rough, and when the coach got fired in 2023 it seemed like one right setback. 'I told myself this is on me, took ownership of my throwing but I was without a coach till the University hired a new one. I went into depressive mode because a lot was at stake. I was used to getting guidance so it was chaos and confusion,' she recalls. Then 'Coach Jet' and Throws coach Jordan Roach arrived.
'She has a different aura, very positive,' she says of Jetter who won the relays Olympics gold and a string of world titles and was considered the fastest American for a decade. '2024 was full of adversity but I was growing,' she says.
The 2024 outdoor season was lost to a hand fracture, and her frustration and anxiety peaked. But working with a team of psychologists, lifting coaches, Roach and Jetter, brought her back on track. 'I'm on to proper recovery now. And Throws coach Jordan and strength & conditioning director Jamie Wynn helped me reach elite lifting numbers in the gym where most throws training happens for explosive strength,' she says.
The key to gymming in preparation for throws isn't necessarily how heavy she lifts, but the speed – which her coaches joke should be directly proportional to how fast she speaks – very. 'The trick is bar speed, how fast you lift that translates on the field in shotput and discus,' she says. It's where she says brute and beaut converge like she tried explaining on TV.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
21 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Meet Dr Dhaval Bhanusali, the Indian dermatologist behind Hailey Bieber's $1 billion skincare brand
(ET Online) Meet Dr Dhaval Bhanusali, the Indian dermatologist behind Hailey Bieber's $1 billion skincare brand Nisha Poddar | 12:43 Min | June 21, 2025, 2:24 PM IST Hailey Bieber's skincare brand, Rhode, has been acquired by e.l.f. Beauty for $1 billion. But behind the glamour and headlines lies a story you haven't heard: that of Indian-American dermatologist Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali. A founding team member, formulator, and early believer in Rhode, Dr. Bhanusali played a pivotal role in turning a skincare startup into a billion-dollar brand. In this episode of ET Conversation, Nisha Poddar speaks with Dr. Bhanusali about building Rhode from scratch, the science behind its products, the rising influence of Indian beauty traditions like turmeric and hair oiling, and his personal journey as an immigrant son balancing medicine, entrepreneurship, and global ambition.
News18
21 minutes ago
- News18
Indian Women Wrestlers Claim Medals In All 10 Categories To Clinch Under-23 Asian Championships
Indian women wrestlers dominated across all facets to secure the team title at the Under-23 Asian Championship, winning a medal in every one of the 10 categories, including four gold and five silver. Priyanshi Prajapat (50kg), Reena (55kg), Shrishti (68kg), and Priya (76kg) achieved first-place finishes. Five additional Indian women wrestlers reached the gold-medal bouts but concluded with silver medals. Neha Sharma (57kg), Tanvi (59kg), Pragati (62kg), Siksha (65kg), and Jyoti Berwal (72kg) earned silver medals, while Hinaben Khalifa (53kg) claimed a bronze on Friday. In the Greco-Roman style, Sumit secured the gold in the 63kg category, with Nitesh (97kg) and Ankit Gulia (72kg) each winning bronze medals. In the men's freestyle events, Vicky won gold in the 97kg category. Nikhil (61kg), Sujeet Kalkal (65kg), Jaideep (74kg), Chandermohan (79kg), and Sachin (92kg) are set to compete for gold on Saturday. Sagar Jaglan (86kg) will compete in the bronze-medal play-off, while Jaspooran Singh (125kg) remains in contention for a medal in his weight class.
Hans India
26 minutes ago
- Hans India
Jaiswal told me he just wanted to score runs in England: Jurel reveals conversation during India A matches
New Delhi: India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal's superb century at Headingley against England in the first Test of the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy may have earned him plaudits on the field, but it was a post-match video shared by the BCCI that offered fans a rare, candid glimpse into the mindset behind the performance. The 23-year-old's 101 off 159 balls - featuring 16 boundaries and a six - was not just a stylish statement but a testament to grit. In challenging English conditions, with the ball seaming and swinging early on, Jaiswal dug deep, overcame painful cramps in both hands and stitched a crucial 129-run stand with new captain Shubman Gill. In a conversation with long-time teammate and close friend Dhruv Jurel, Jaiswal reflected on his preparation, pressure, and mental clarity that powered him to yet another milestone overseas. 'When we were playing for India A, you told me you just have to score runs in England no matter what,' Jurel said. 'Even when the ball was moving a lot, you wanted the same challenge in the nets. I think that stubbornness is what makes you different. I've seen it since we were kids.' Jaiswal responded, 'You tell them. I don't do much. When I need to be serious, I stay serious. I focus on my preparation and try to keep my mind calm. That really helps me.' 'Whenever I come here, I just want to give my best for my team and my country,' Jaiswal said. 'I really enjoy practising alone and preparing myself. I try to make sure every ball I face in practice helps me when I'm in tough situations.' He also recalled a pivotal moment from the India A build-up to the series. 'Harshit Rana and Bumrah bhai were bowling really well. I wasn't scoring runs easily but I kept playing. That gave me a lot of confidence and belief that I can survive and get through tough phases.' Jaiswal's hundred in Leeds has now made him the batter with a century in his first Tests in the West Indies, Australia, and England. Alongside him, Shubman Gill marked a memorable start to his Test captaincy with an unbeaten 127, showing poise and precision throughout. Rishabh Pant also brought his flair to the crease, remaining not out on 65 as India finished Day 1 in a commanding position at 359/3.
