Shaili Singh is just 19 and two years into the senior circuit, but the teenager is already India’s No.1 woman long jumper, and is looking to break her mentor Anju Bobby George’s national record this year.
In April, Shaili jumped 6.76m, the second longest distance by an Indian woman, behind the legendary Anju’s 6.83m, which has stood for 19 years.
Anju herself believes that her protege can erase her national record.
“Anju madam says I can break her record since I am very near to it (7cm short) and she wants that to happen this year. She says I am in that range, and so I feel I can do it,” Shaili said after the women’s long jump qualifying round at the National Inter-State Athletics Championship here on Sunday.
She made it to the final round in third place with a best jump of 6.27m, behind Kerala jumpers Ancy Sojan and Nayana James.
Sojan breached the Asian Games mark of 6.45m with a best effort of 6.49m while James produced 6.31m.
Shaili said she will try to jump farther in the final on Monday. She has already breached the Asian Games qualifying mark with that 6.76m jump in Bengaluru in April and 6.65m effort while finishing third at the prestigious Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Japan last month.
“I tried to cross 6.45m (Asian Games qualifying mark), but it did not happen. But I am still happy, I will improve in the final.”
“The conditions are difficult but the target given to me by my coach is to do better than the 6.76m that I had done in Bangalore in April.”