Technique tweak, change in diet fuel Shaili Singh's resurgence

NEW DELHI: Indian long jumper Shaili Singh has witnessed an impressive turnaround in her athletics journey. After facing several hurdles, including failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics and recuperating from a career-threatening injury, the 21-year-old from Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi has attributed her renewed form to significant modifications in her diet and technical improvements in her jumping routine.

Shaili made a strong comeback, garnering attention when she broke her mentor Anju Bobby George ’s long-standing meet record by registering a 6.64m leap at the Federation Cup athletics event in Ernakulam late last month, surpassing Anju’s 2002 mark of 6.59m.

In the previous week, Shaili secured a spot in the forthcoming Asian athletics championships by clinching gold with a 6.45m jump at the Indian Open meet in Chennai. Marking her first appearance in competition after a nine-month break, Shaili achieved the championship qualification standard of 6.41m with her final attempt.

Speaking to TOI, Shaili revealed that until a few months ago, her dietary indulgences included aloo paratha, chole bhature and ice-cream, leaving her feeling heavy and bloated. After recovering from a flexor tendon and ankle injury sustained during an Olympics qualification event in Europe, the U-20 World athletics championships silver medallist has adopted a disciplined diet focusing on rice-dal and ragi-jowar (Sorghum) flour, supplemented with steamed and boiled foods even outside of competition periods.

“I have been following a strict diet since recovering from my injuries. Now, even if I am not training or having an off-season, I maintain a lighter diet. I am just 21 and you know how difficult it’s for youngsters like me to control, but I have learnt to stop myself,” Shaili said.

“I am gluten and lactose intolerant. I realised that to achieve something in life, I’ll have to give up on my favourite food. I train at Anju mam’s academy in Bengaluru and I get the food from the mess. But there are times when I need comforting food. I have learnt to cook for myself just to feel the comfort of home. Now I feel light and get less tired. Oily foods affect us badly. I prefer eating steamed and boiled food only,” she added.

Shaili, who ranks among world’s top 20 long jumpers in the under-21 category, credits the change in her runway and jump technique for the recent turnaround. “For the last two years, my runway was extremely bad, which used to affect my jump too. Anju ma’am had herself experienced it and she worked on my technique these last few months. At the start line, she would tell me about my first step, how to control my body, my breathing and my arm action. She and Bobby George sir worked on every little detail to improve my technique. I won’t say that my runway and take off has become 100 percent correct, but it has definitely improved. It’s showing in my results,” she said.

Shaili will next be seen in action at the Asian athletics meet in South Korea’s Gumi from May 27 to 31. At the previous edition in 2023, she had won silver. Now, the long jumper wants gold. “The training has been good. I have already done my season’s best at the Federation Cup. At the Asian meet, I’ll look to achieve my personal best and win the gold.”