Just days ater 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 rewrote the history books on Friday (April 26).
Shaili broke a 23-year-old meet record held by her trainer and a veteran long jumper Anju Bobby George in the National Federation Cup Athletics at the Maharaja’s College Ground in Ernakulam. The 21-year-old Shaili jumped 6.64m to eclipse Anju’s 6.59 m meet record set in 2002.
Shaili produced a personal best of 6.76m in 2023. It was the second-best effort by an Indian woman, only behind Anju’s long-standing National Record of 6.83m.
The occasion became even more memorable when Anju presented the gold medal to Shaili on the podium. ‘I always knew that she would break my record. This is a perfect anniversary gift for me. Now I’m waiting for Shaili to break my national record,’ a delighted Anju said was quoted saying in an interview.
Anju also put up a congratulatory post for Shaili Singh on Instagram. She wrote, “Congratulations @shailising for creating a new Federation Cup record by breaking my long-standing 23-year-old record. You made us both proud. @afiindia_official @media.iccsai @yasministryindia.”
See the post below:
“Breaking Anju ma’am’s long-standing Federation Cup record is a moment of pride for me. Her achievements have always been my inspiration, and to follow in her footsteps means everything. This record has stood for 23 years because of how exceptional she was, and I’m honoured to now be part of this legacy. This is just the beginning of my journey, and I hope to continue making my country proud with many more milestones to come, ” Shail said.
Meanwhile Anju Bobby George said, “Records are meant to be broken, and I’m thrilled to see Shaili accomplish this feat. When we first spotted her talent years ago, I knew she had what it takes to surpass even my best marks. Watching her growth has been like witnessing the next chapter of Indian athletics unfold. This record-breaking performance represents the bright future of Indian women in sports. I couldn’t be prouder to pass this torch to someone so dedicated and gifted.”