Leaping to new heights

CHENNAI: At the tender age of 19, Shaili Singh aspires to achieve top honours for her country in the women’s long jump. Her journey, from humble beginnings to the limelight of success, has been nothing short of extraordinary.

During an exclusive interview with DT Next, Shaili emphasised the passion she has cultivated over the years, pushing her to continually improve whenever she represents her nation. She shared that her day typically begins early with preparations for matches, followed by her daily prayers. Just before each event, she finds solace in reading the Bhagavad Gita, a practice she wholeheartedly embraces due to her mother’s insistence, and one she faithfully follows.

Shaili Singh is currently training in India and she expresses immense excitement as the Asian Games approaches. It marks her inaugural appearance at a continental event, and she radiates confidence. Shaili has amassed experience through participation in various events, and she is determined to maintain her impressive track record. She also emphasized the significance of facing her nemesis once again from the Asian Championships, Sumire Hata of Japan, as a noteworthy opponent in the upcoming Asian Games.

“Everybody has their own expectations, and there is a lot of hope riding on my shoulders,” she adds. Shaili Singh was just 14 years old when Neena Varkali bagged a Silver medal at the 2018 Jakarta, Asian Games and Shaili hopes to produce her best performance to bag a gold medal at the Hangzhou, Asian Games.

Shaili didn’t have her best performance at the World Athletics Championships, as she failed to meet the qualifying mark and couldn’t advance to the final rounds. Reflecting on this, she recalls, “During the World Championships, I was feeling a bit under the weather, but I still competed with the belief that everything would turn out alright. The World Championships brings medalists from Asia, the Diamond League, and Olympians under the same roof. It was the first time I noticed their attitude and passion to make a difference for their respective countries.”.

“I was a bit low-key at the World Championships this year but in the upcoming championships in 2024, I’ll give it my all and definitely finish much better,” she adds.

Shaili was profoundly inspired by the heroics of Neeraj Chopra at the Olympics, where he became the first gold medalist for India in athletics. She recalls that moment vividly, watching Neeraj on the television ace it at the Olympics, and it filled her with more passion. “Neeraj’s victory serves as an inspiration, showing that it is possible for athletes like myself to strive for and achieve gold medals in athletics for India. It is no longer an impossible dream,” she says.

“In the past, athletes used to dream of participating in the Olympics, but now we’ve come a long way, and our goal is not just to compete but to win medals, this change is for the good,” she elaborates.

“In India, when a sportsperson begins to perform well, the entire country rallies behind them. I aim to replicate success for the nation, and I want my country to have faith in me, keep me in their prayers, and that would motivate me to push harder and give my best every time I step onto the track,” she expresses, referring to the increasing recognition athletics has received in the country recently.

Early life and her mother’s contribution

On the banks of the historic Pahuj River, that separates Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, lies the quaint Indian city of Jhansi. Shaili was raised by her mother, Vinita Singh, a single parent of three, and ran a small business to support the dreams of Shaili and her siblings. Shaili didn’t initially harbour dreams of becoming a sportsperson; it was her mother who first believed in her and encouraged her to aim for great heights. “It was very difficult when I first started. We didn’t have much money, and it was challenging to travel for trials. We were worried about whom we could trust and whom we could not,” says Shaili. Her journey began when she relocated to the Lucknow sports hostel, where she was eventually scouted by Anju Bobby George and Robert George. At the tender age of 14, Shaili made the move to Bengaluru to receive training at the Anju Bobby Sports Foundation. Adjusting to hostel life was quite a new experience for her at that time. Reflecting on her mother’s contribution, she became a bit emotional and remarked, “I can’t express the struggles and sacrifices my mother made; it’s difficult to put them in just a few words.”

Asian Games 2023

Shaili’s best performance this year was recorded at 6.76 meters during the Nationals in April, but she has experienced inconsistency since then. Will these less impressive results instill doubts in her, or will she choose to leave them behind and embark on a fresh start for the Asian Games? She reflects, “The low scores are not easy for me to forget because at the end of the day, they were my performances. This year has brought its share of ups and downs, and I’ve encountered numerous new experiences. My goal is to approach the Asian Games with the target of achieving a jump that is close to my personal best.”

In 2019, Shaili surpassed her own record in the Under-18 category, achieving a remarkable 6.15m jump at the Junior Nationals held in Andhra Pradesh. She acknowledges that the support she receives through social media significantly boosts her confidence. Shaili also commends her management team at IOS Sports, with whom she has been collaborating since 2019, for their instrumental role in garnering recognition for her. She considers them not just as her team but more like a family and believes they deserve credit for her success.

Shaili Singh will play the final of the Women’s Long Jump on October 2, at the Hangzhou, Asian Games.