Nairobi: It was a moment to celebrate in Jhansi as long jumper Shaili Singh won a historic silver at the World U20 Championships on Sunday in Nairobi. The journey of the young girl from Jhansi has been everything but smooth. Raised by a single mother, Shaili did not even have shoes when she started out and it was a problem for the family to even put three square meals on the table. But again, Shaili had the drive and that is what helped her succeed.
The 17-year-old missed out on the Gold medal by a centimetre, but she has now established herself as one to watch out for in the future. While some feel she would win an Olympics medal in the future, others are not ready to jump the gun.
After the event in the Kenyan capital, Shaili revealed her conversation with her mother. As quoted by The Indian Express, Shaili revealed that her mother asked her not to worry and wished her all the best and was hoping she wins the gold. She also admitted that it was difficult for her single mother to raise her.
“My mother told me before the final not to worry. She expected me to win gold. Next time, I will win gold. I wanted to hear the National Anthem being played at the stadium. As she is a single mother, it was difficult for her but my mother looked after me, my sister, and my brother,” Shaili said.
She is also the first in her family to take up sports. Her mother is a tailor and earns a meagre amount which makes it difficult to make ends meet.
National record holder in the long jump, Anju Bobby George reckons Shaili will break her feat someday and win an Olympics medal for the country.
“She can improve on the national record (6.83 metres). Our main target for Shaili is to help her finish on the podium at the Olympic Games, which is the most valuable thing. If our trainee can win a medal, I will consider it as my own,” Anju said.