New Delhi:
National record holder triple jumper Renjith Maheshwari does not expect much from the VTB Continental Cup in Croatia next month but feels the top-flight event would be the ideal platform to measure himself up with the world's best athletes ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
Maheshwari qualified for the September 3-4 IAAF event as the leading triple jumper this season in Asia after his 17m effort in the second leg of the Asian Grand Prix in June in Bangalore.
Top two athletes from each continental grouping - Asia Pacific, Americas, Europe and Africa - compete in each event of the competition which was earlier known as the World Cup of Athletics.
Maheshwari said the Continental Cup has come at the right time as it will help in his preparation for the October 3-14 mega event here.
"By middle of next month, we are expected to start preparing in Delhi for the Commonwealth Games. So Continental Cup has come at the right time just before the Games. I will know where I stand because the top eight athletes in the world will be competing in Croatia," he said from Chennai.
"I am not putting myself under pressure that I should win a medal or like that because most of the competitors there in Croatia have better jumps than me. I will be doing my best and try to improve my best effort this season of 17m. The positive thing will be the exposure," said the jumper who rushed to Chennai from Patiala to be with his wife, who gave birth to a baby girl on Sunday.
Although Maheshwari was certain about his selection in the athletics team for the Commonwealth Games, he refrained from predicting his medal prospects.
"I am not going to predict that I will get a medal. I will give my best in front of my home crowd. But there are quite a few names in Commonwealth countries who have jumped farther than me," he said.
"I am in fine shape and my training at the National Institute of Sports at Patiala has been going on well. I had to rush to Chennai as I had to be beside my wife," added Maheshwari, who holds the national record of 17.04m in triple jump.