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~ Sotomayor is the only man ever to have breached the 8-feet mark ~
New Delhi, November 19: Cuban high-jumper and Olympic Gold medallist Javier Sotomayor set to attend Season 7 of Ekamra Sports Literature Festival, 2025 (ESLF) and share his insight on being the only man to have ever crossed the 8-feet mark in Men’s High Jump. In the panel discussion along with him would be India’s present high jump National Record holder (2.29) Tejaswin Shankar.
Sotomayor, who first crossed the 8-feet mark in 1989 and again in 1993 when he set the current World Record of 2.45m (8 ft ¼ in), will not only talk about his journey as a Cuban high jumper but also discuss in detail why, despite it being over 32 years, no one has come close to breaking his world record.
Talking about his visit to India and the upcoming session Sotomayor said: “It’s an honour to be at the Ekamra Sports Literature Festival. Some world class athletes have already attended in the previous seasons. I have been following India’s progress in track and field and was delighted when Neeraj Chopra won Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020.”
This season will also feature Palestinian middle-distance runner Mohammed Dwedar, recently seen at the Tokyo World Championships, who will speak about competing under pressure, training across borders, and the realities of running for Palestine on the global stage.
Following him are two more international voices:
Italian author Franco Nugnes, who will discuss Senna: The Truth, his investigation into Ayrton Senna’s final race; and cricket writer and filmmaker Jarrod Kimber, who will dive into The Art of Batting and the characters who shaped the modern game.
Season seven of the ESLF will also highlight the next generation of Indian athletics, led by hurdler Shourya Ambure, triple jumper Poorva Sawant, and middle and long-distance runner Bushra Khan. The trio will talk about their path so far and the demands of breaking through at the elite level.
On the Para sports front, India’s first female Paralympic medallist and Padma Shri awardee Deepa Malik will join us to discuss her autobiography Bring It On.
Also featured are authors Sandeep Menon (Sacred Grounds) and Jaydeep Basu (Who Stole My Football), among others.
Speaking about Season 7, festival director and sports author Sundeep Misra said:
“Each year, the conversations get sharper, and the range gets wider. What we’re trying to build is a place where athletes and authors can be honest about the work they do and the lives they lead. If we can bring a little more clarity and a little less noise to how we talk about sport, we’re doing our job.”
A major highlight of the festival remains India’s only Sports Book Awards, which recognise standout work across categories including Sports Book of the Year, Biography of the Year, Autobiography of the Year, Cricket Book of the Year, Special Jury Award, and Publisher of the Year.
The Ekamra Sports Literature Festival, 2025 will take place on November 22nd, 2025, at Delhi’s Bikaner House from 10:30 am onwards.
