India’s rising star in long jump, Shaili Singh, had not compete on a track for the last nine months, but on her return, she breached 6.45 meters – enough to tell the world she’s back.
“I had an injury nine months ago,” she said while talking to WION. “At that point of time, my focus was to be fully fit and then return to taking part in competitions,” she added.
The injury which Shaili suffered was a painful one. A combination of a hip flexor issue and chronic pain in the ankle, which sidelined her for most of the year. She completed her hip rehab in July last year, but the ankle was too much of an issue. “It wasn’t getting better,” she said. “So, I took PRP treatment in November or December. That took my time, I focused mostly on stabilising my ankle, something that has been bothering me for two years now, ” she shared.
On Tuesday (April 15), Shaili Singh made a strong jump of 6.45m to breach the Asian Athletics Championships qualification mark of 6.41m. The young sensation from Uttar Pradesh won the gold medal at the one-day Indian Open Athletics and booked her berth for the continental championship.
“I am extremely elated to have breached the Asian Athletics Championship qualification mark with a jump of 6.45m in the first tournament of this season. The last time I participated in this event, I finished fifth. This year, I will be eyeing a podium finish and I am training hard and preparing myself for the same. I would also like to thank my coaching staff for always pushing my boundaries and supporting me at every step of my journey. There is still a long way to go and many objectives that I need to achieve. So I am happy to have ticked off one item from the list.”
Now, Shaili is heading to Kochi for the Federation Cup, set to take place from April 21-24. Speaking about her preparation, she said, “6.45m jump is a confidence booster- but only a step in a greater scheme. I need to go above 6.50m now. That’s the standard I have set for myself.”
‘My focus is on 2028 LA Games’
Shaili, who has witnessed the development of the sport up close, is quite positive regarding the future of women’s long jump in India, although she also highlights the issues.
She explains, “There are so many girls in villages across our country, who still do not get any opportunity. Their parents forbid them, or they are too nervous to let them go alone. However, things are becoming better. Initiatives like Khelo India are making a big difference. They are identifying athletes from pan India. If they get good facilities and coaches, they will certainly excel.”
When it comes to the representing India at the Olympics, the 21-year-old does not hesitate. “I simply wasn’t ready last time,” she says with honesty. “I didn’t even know if I was capable of competing at that level. But now? I’m ready.”
“2028 LA Games is where my focus goes to.” She adds “From now until 2028, I’ll strengthen myself. I won’t surrender this time. Not even to the slightest tiny mistake,” she added.
And when it comes to rivalry with fellow long jumper Nayana James, Shaili does not shy away from it. She says, “In the arena, when we are competing against each other, it is a motivation. If she jumps better, it pushes me also to perform better. We both bring the best out of each other.” “But, outside the tracks, we are the best of friends,” she signed off.