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Shaili Singh, India's rising star in women's long jump, has been consistently ranked among the top three in the country. However, her struggles to surpass her personal best of 6.59m, set at the 2019 World Under-20 Championships, have raised concerns.At the recent Indian Grand Prix 1, Singh jumped 6.52m to secure the top spot. While this performance is commendable, it falls short of the Paris Olympics qualification mark of 6.86m. No Indian woman has ever achieved this distance.Singh's mentors, Anju Bobby George and Robert Bobby George, remain confident in her abilities. They believe she has the potential to not only qualify for her maiden Olympics but also consistently jump in the range of 6.80m."Qualifying by entry standard will be superb, but we are targeting the rankings route," said Robert.Anju believes Singh can come close to 6.86m during the qualification period. "All she needs are some minor technical adjustments. These things take time to become muscle memory, but Shaili can certainly break my national record," she said.Anju's national record of 6.83m has stood for 20 years, while Singh's best is 6.76m."I would back her among the current crop to break my record. If she does it at the Olympics, that'll be a wonderful story," Anju added.Singh's journey to the Paris Olympics will be a learning curve. India will also hope for strong performances from Hangzhou Asian Games silver medalist Ancy Sojan (PB 6.63) and Nayana James (PB 6.67m).Robert is ambitious about Singh's potential. "Our target is a top-eight finish, and even that will take a few perfect jumps from her," he said.To achieve this, Singh must consistently jump over 6.80m, which means 6.70m-plus jumps in training. "Usually, there's a 10cm increment from training to competitions because we give 3-4 days of recovery time before the events. As of now, she jumps 6-60-6.65m in training."Robert and Anju have identified key technical areas to work on, including adjusting her center of mass before take-off and improving her hip extension.Singh has faced challenges with injuries and illness. A lower-back injury sidelined her for nine months in 2022, and she took three months to recover from Covid-19 last year. A disappointing fifth-place finish at the Asian Games, where a bad landing led to a shoulder injury, further hindered her progress.Despite these setbacks, Singh remains determined to achieve her Olympic dream. With the support of her mentors and her own unwavering spirit, she has the potential to make history for Indian athletics.

Murali Sreeshankar, India's star long jumper, is embarking on a strategic approach for the upcoming season, prioritizing the Paris Olympics over extensive travel and competition. After a grueling schedule last year, Sreeshankar has opted to start his season later and focus on targeted events.Last season, Sreeshankar competed in 10 events over seven months, including training stints in the US and Greece. Despite impressive performances, including a personal best of 8.41m and medals at the Asian Athletics Championships and Asian Games, the rigorous schedule took its toll.This season, Sreeshankar's father and coach, S Murali, has devised a plan to conserve energy and optimize performance for the Paris Olympics. The season will begin with the Shanghai Diamond League on April 27, followed by the Doha Diamond League on May 10. Sreeshankar will then train in Cyprus for 40 days before returning for the Inter-state competition in June.In addition to reducing travel and competition, Sreeshankar is also experimenting with a new runup technique. He will transition from a static start to a running start, which is expected to increase his speed on the runway and potentially lead to longer jumps."If you want to go big at the Olympics, you have to do something extraordinary," said Murali. "The target is to go beyond the 8.50m mark, and for that, we have to do something different."Sreeshankar's training conditions in Palakkad have been favorable, and he is confident in his preparation. "Training conditions are very good here now," said Murali. "We have almost all the facilities here."With the Paris Olympics as his primary focus, Sreeshankar is determined to make the most of his opportunities and deliver a memorable performance on the world's biggest stage.

Greek long jump sensation Miltiadis Tentoglou has vehemently opposed World Athletics' (WA) proposed experiment with the take-off board, expressing his concerns shortly after claiming the world indoor title in Glasgow.Tentoglou, who now holds the Olympic, outdoor world, and indoor world titles, erupted when questioned about the proposed change. The experiment involves moving the take-off board 5 centimeters closer to the pit, a move that has drawn criticism from many athletes."It's a stupid idea," Tentoglou declared. "It's going to ruin the sport. It's going to make it easier for people to jump far, but it's not going to make it fairer."Tentoglou believes that the proposed change will favor athletes with greater speed and power, while disadvantaging those with better technique. He argues that the current take-off board distance has been established for decades and should not be altered."The take-off board is a sacred thing in long jump," Tentoglou said. "It's been the same for years, and it's been fair for everyone. Why change it now?"WA has defended the experiment, claiming that it will increase the excitement and unpredictability of the event. However, Tentoglou and other athletes remain skeptical."It's not going to make the sport more exciting," Tentoglou said. "It's just going to make it more random. It's going to be a lottery."The proposed experiment is set to begin in May at the Diamond League meeting in Doha. It will be closely monitored by WA, and a decision on whether to implement the change permanently will be made after the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.

National long jump record holder Jeswin Aldrin's disappointing performance at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow on Saturday has raised questions about his current form. The 22-year-old, who held the world lead for a few months in 2023 with his 8.42m jump, could only manage a 7.69m effort, finishing a lowly 13th.Aldrin's performance was particularly disappointing considering his recent international outings. In three other events last month, he had recorded jumps of 7.70m, 7.74m, and 7.83m. He had also finished eighth in the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.The Indian long jumper's struggles in Glasgow were evident from the start. He cleared 7.69m in his first attempt but fouled the next two. With only three attempts allowed in the qualifying round, Aldrin was unable to improve his mark and was eliminated along with eight other competitors.The top eight long jumpers after three rounds were permitted to have another three attempts. Reigning Olympic and world champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece won gold with a best jump of 8.22m, while 19-year-old Mattia Furlani (8.22m) of Italy and Carey McLeod (8.21m) of Jamaica were second and third respectively.Aldrin's performance in Glasgow is a setback for the Indian athlete, who has been touted as a potential medal contender at the upcoming Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. However, it is important to note that Aldrin is still young and has time to improve. With the right training and support, he can still achieve his full potential.