Anju Bobby George's protege Shaili Singh bags silver in World U20 Athletics Championship

Nairobi: India's Shaili Singh secured the silver medal in women's long jump with an effort of 6.59 m at the World Athletics U20 Championships at Nairobi on Sunday.

In her third attempt, Shaili had set her personal best to leap into the gold-medal position. However, Sweden's Maja Askag edged her to go first by the narrowest of margins (6.60m).

Ukraine's Mariia Horielova, who jumped her career-best of 6.50 in her second attempt, finished third.

Shaili gave it a go in her final three tries -- fouling attempts four and five as she pushed to reclaim the first place -- but could not top the Swede's golden leap.

The talented young jumper, widely regarded as the next Anju Bobby George, had briefly slipped to the fourth position before making a strong comeback.

Shaili had already lived up to expectations at the world championship by topping qualification with an effort of 6.40m.

Training at the Anju Bobby George Academy in Bengaluru, Shaili is coached by Anju and her husband Robert Bobby George.

In the build-up to the final, Anju had tweeted that she was feeling nervous.

Before the Championships, Shaili had come first in the U20 National Championships in Sangrur with 6.40m in July. Before that, she had jumped 6.48m to clinch gold in the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Patiala.
(With agency inputs)