Shaili Singh finishes third in Golden Grand Prix in Japan

India's Shaili Singh finished third in the women's long jump event at the Continental Tour gold event Golden Grand Prix 2023 Athletics Meet in Yokohama, Japan, on Sunday.

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Shaili registered a winning jump of 6.65m to finish third on the podium in her first international competition of 2023. Her other jumps were measured at 6.59m, 6.35m, 6.35m, 6.36m, and 6.41m. Shaili Singh's performance at Yokohama comes on the back of a solid start to the 2023 season. At the Indian Grand Prix 4, Shaili Singh registered a personal best jump of 6.76m. This is the second-best jump by an Indian woman after the legendary Anju Bobby George (6.83m).

"I was expecting something like 6.80m, her landing was not proper, there was a bit of rotation. Still this is a very good performance in her first world-class international meet. She now has the Inter-State Nationals (in Bhubaneswar, July) and the Asian Championships (Thailand, July) ahead of her." Anju Bobby George said.

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Moreover, during the Bengaluru meet, the 19-year-old also made the cut for the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023. She breached the qualifying standard of 6.45m set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). Shaili Singh had also burst onto the scene back in 2021 after winning a silver medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi. She is currently in the 42nd spot and only 36 can make it to the World Championships in Hungary in August. The qualification gates for the Budapest Worlds close on July 30.

Meanwhile, Germany's Maryse Luzolo won the gold medal with a jump of 6.79m. While Australia's Brooke Buschkuehl won the silver with a jump of 6.77m. Japan's Sumire Hata, who had won the Indoor Asians gold in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, in February was fourth in Japan with 6.48m.