Uttar Pradesh teenager Shaili Singh leapt into the all-time second place behind her idol Anju Bobby George with a spectacular 6.76m effort in the women’s Long Jump in the AFI Indian Grand Prix 4 Athletics meet at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Saturday. This stole Assam sprinter Amlan Borgohain’s thunder, though he claimed the men’s 100-200 double.
Shaili Singh, 19, improved her personal best by 28cm and catapulted over Aishwaya Babu (6.73), JJ Shobha and V Neena (6.66), Mayookha Johnu (6.64), M Prajusha, Nayana James and Ancy Sojan (6.55) to be behind Anju Bobby George (6.83m) on the all-time list. She qualified for the Asian Games, but fell an agonizing 9cm short of the 2023 World Championships qualifying standard.
Shaili Singh’s domination was so complete that each of her four valid jumps was good enough for het to get gold ahead of Nayana James’s best effort of 6.53m. Shaili Singh’s series read 6.58m, foul, 6.76m, 6.64m, foul and 6.66. It was a veritable demonstration of coach Bobby George’s assertion that his ward was ready to claim the National Record sooner than later.
Amlan Borgohain would not mind conceding the spotlight to her but the way he left the opposition in his wake in the 200m was creditable. The Assam sprinter now owns the three fastest times by Indians in the half-lapper. He set the National Record of 20.52 seconds in the AFI Federation Cup in Kozhikode on April 6 last year and the 20.55 he obtained in the National Games in Gandhinagar on October 4 last.
Jyothi Yarraji (Andhra Pradesh), the rising track star, lost out on a chance to attain a sprint double when she was disqualified for a foul start in the 100m. However, she overcome that shock and disappointment to win the 200m with a measure of comfort against Archana Suseendran (Tamil Nadu). Running a 200m after a year, she finished in a personal best time of 23.60 seconds.
Trailing in the fifth place at the bell, Krishan Kumar (Haryana) caught up with race leader Abhishek Pal (Uttar Pradesh) with just 10m left to the beam and used his long strides to break the favourite’s will over the last couple of meters. Considering that it was only his first 1500m race at the national level after doing well in the 800m, Krishna Kumar was impressive in his victory.
DP Manu (Karnataka) and Rohit Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) produced a classy men’s Javelin Throw contest, slinging five throws over the 80m mark between them. Manu had the two best throws of the evening and won the crown with a best effort of 84.33m. Shivpal Singh (Uttar Pradesh) marked his returned to competition with a best effort of 79.70m on his second try.
The results
Men
100m (Races A & B): 1. Amlan Borgohain (Assam) 10.53 seconds; 2. Hasssan Saaid (Maldives) 10.66; 3. Animesh Kujur (Chhattisgarh) 10.69.
200m (Races A & B): 1. Amlan Borgohain (Assam) 20.78 seconds; 2. Animesh Kujur (Chhattisgarh) 21.26; 3. Muhammed Anas Yahiya (Kerala) 21.35.
400m (Races A, B, C & D): 1. Amoj Jacob (Delhi) 46.13 seconds; 2. Muhammed Ajmal (Kerala) 46.59; 3. T Santhosh Kumar (Tamil Nadu) 47.24.
1500m: 1. Krishan Kumar (Haryana) 3:49.96; 2. Abhishek Pal (Uttar Pradesh) 3:50.06; 3. Prakash Balu Gadade (Maharashtra) 3:51.49.
3000m Steeplechase: 1. Bhupal Singh (Uttarakhand) 9:36.06.
High Jump: 1. Aadarsh Ram (Tamil Nadu) 2.10m; 2. Aniket Subhash Mane (Maharashtra) 2.05; 3. Kaustubha Jaiswal (Madhya Pradesh) 2.05.
Long Jump: 1. Muhammed Anees Yahiya (Kerala) 7.87m; 2. Rishabh Rishishwar (Uttar Pradesh) 7.76; 3. S Arya (Karnataka) 7.64.
Javelin Throw: 1. DP Manu (Karnataka) 84.33m; 2. Rohit Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) 81.81; 3. Shivpal Singh (Uttar Pradesh) 79.70.
Women
100m (Races A & B): 1. Archana Suseendran (Tamil Nadu) 11.79 seconds; 2. Nithya Gandhe (Telangana) 12.85; 3. AT Daneshwari (Karnataka) 11.85.
200m (Races A & B): 1. Jyothi Yarraji (Andhra Pradesh) 23.60 seconds; 2. Archana Suseendran (Tamil Nadu) 23.86; 3. AT Daneshwari (Karnataka) 24.59.
400m: 1. Dandi Jyothika Sri (Andhra Pradesh) 54.15; 2. Kunja Rajitha (Andhra Pradesh) 55.57; 3. Twinkle Pundir (Madhya Pradesh) 56.57.
1500m: 1. CM Rashi (Karnataka) 4:41.58; 2. PU Chitra (Kerala) 4:42.90; 3. Nitin (Haryana) 5:46.05.
3000m Steeplechase: 1. Susmita Tigga (Odisha) 10:53.94; 2. Priti Chaudhary (Uttar Pradesh) 11:20.70; 3. Shaheen Dharwad (Karnataka) 12:32.82.
Pole Vault: 1. Baranica Elangovan (Tamil Nadu) 4.10m; 2. G Sindhushree (Karnataka) 3.60.
Long Jump: 1. Shaili Singh (Uttar Pradesh) 6.76m; 2. Nayana James (Kerala) 6.53m; 3. Karthika Gothandapani (Andhra Pradesh) 6.15.
Shot Put: 1. Manpreet Kaur (Haryana) 16.81m; 2. Abha Khatua (Maharashtra) 15.98; 3. Tunlai Narzary (Assam) 14.30.
Javelin Throw: 1. Anjani Kumari (Bihar) 47.03m; 2. Hemamalini Neelalandan (Tamil Nadu) 46.27; 3. Uma Choudhary (Rajasthan) 45.73.
