Shaili leaps to 2nd longest jump

Bengaluru, April 15

Uttar Pradesh’s Shaili Singh produced the second longest leap in the long jump behind her idol and mentor Anju Bobby George with a spectacular 6.76-metre effort en route winning gold at the Indian Grand Prix 4 athletics meet here today.

Shaili’s performance stole the thunder from Assam sprinter Amlan Borgohain’s, who claimed the 100m and 200m titles in the men’s section.

The 19-year-old Shaili improved her personal best by 28cm and overtook Aishwarya Babu (6.73m), JJ Shobha and V Neena (6.66), Mayookha Johny (6.64), M Prajusha, Nayana James and Ancy Sojan (6.55) to be behind Bobby George (6.83m) in the all-time list.

She went past the Asian Games’ standard set by the Athletics Federation of India, but fell 9cm short of the 2023 World Championships qualifying mark.

Shaili was so dominating that each of her four valid jumps were good enough to get her gold ahead of Nayana James’s best effort of 6.53m. Her series read 6.58m, foul, 6.76m, 6.64m, foul and 6.66.

It was a demonstration of coach Bobby George’s assertion that her ward was ready to claim the national record sooner than later.

Borgohain would not mind conceding the spotlight, but the way he left the opposition in his wake in the 200m was also a head-turner. The Assamese now owns the three fastest times by an Indian in the half-lapper.