Kochi: India’s first World Championship medal-winning athlete, Anju Bobby George , and her husband, Dronacharya-winning coach Robert, couldn’t have hoped for a better gift on the silver jubilee wedding anniversary when their protege in women’s long jump, Shaili Singh , surpassed a 23-year-old meet record set by Anju in women’s long jump.
While Anju had leapt to 6.59m at the 2002 Federation Athletics in Chennai, Shaili improved on it by 0.05m, achieving 6.64m. To Shaili’s delight, both coach and mentor were watching from the stands when the 21-year-old UP jumper attained her mark.
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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.
The national record stands at 6.83m set at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where she finished fifth. Robert also reckoned that Shaili will eventually break Anju’s long-standing national record, but felt that it may take time. “Some corrections need to be made to her technique. Once that is done, she will clear Anju’s mark,” he said.
“My coach had asked me to go beyond 6.70, but I’m happy that I broke the meet record. I will keep on trying and hopefully break the national mark one day,” said Shaili. Shaili said that while a medal at the Asian Championship was the immediate objective, Olympic qualification was her primary goal.
“My first competition of this season and it has started quite well. I’ll be looking to qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics, which will be my main focus in the days ahead,” she said.
While Anju had leapt to 6.59m at the 2002 Federation Athletics in Chennai, Shaili improved on it by 0.05m, achieving 6.64m. To Shaili’s delight, both coach and mentor were watching from the stands when the 21-year-old UP jumper attained her mark.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
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.
The national record stands at 6.83m set at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where she finished fifth. Robert also reckoned that Shaili will eventually break Anju’s long-standing national record, but felt that it may take time. “Some corrections need to be made to her technique. Once that is done, she will clear Anju’s mark,” he said.
“My coach had asked me to go beyond 6.70, but I’m happy that I broke the meet record. I will keep on trying and hopefully break the national mark one day,” said Shaili. Shaili said that while a medal at the Asian Championship was the immediate objective, Olympic qualification was her primary goal.
“My first competition of this season and it has started quite well. I’ll be looking to qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics, which will be my main focus in the days ahead,” she said.
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