The Indians have now begun shining on the track and field!! A most awaited sport in which India has had a drought for a very long time has now started bearing medals. Athletics has started generating medal winners!! With Indians lacking a genetic advantage and also lacking facilities to develop the genes, a medal in Athletics is least expected. But for the first time, India has produced two medalists in the U20 World Athletics Championships! Here’s a look at who the medalists and participants are: –
About the event: –
The U20 Athletic Championships, it’s an event that is held to promote the participation of young athletes in track and field events. The Championships are the same as the ones which are help at the senior stage and involve all the events. From 100m sprint to javelin, all events are included. This time around, they were held from 17th to 21st August in Nairobi, Kenya. The Indian contingent at this event successfully won two medals in the long jump and racewalking events.
Shaili Singh: –
Shaili Singh was one prospect who won the silver medal in the long jump event. 2004 born, is U-18 but successfully competed against athletes who were aged 19,20! She has been trained by Indian Track and Field legend, Anju Bobby George and her husband Robert Bobby George. Shaili currently holds the national record for the U-18 long jump event and is ranked among the top 20 in the world in the same category.
Hailing from Jhansi in UP, Shaili moved to Bengaluru for training. This change in location for training helped Shaili a lot. Anju and Robert made sure that Shaili’s full potential is explored and a star for Indian Athletics is born!
Amit Kumar: –
Amit Kumar secured India’s second medal at the Nairobi Campaign! It was the 10000m race walk in which this medal has come. This was Amit’s first international tournament and with this performance, he definitely has grabbed a few eyeballs!!