India return with best-ever medal haul from U-20 World Athletics

Though there was no gold medal for the country this time, long jumper Shaili Singh came close to clinching the yellow medal.

Hyderabad: India returned with their best ever show from the U-20 World Athletics from Nairobi with three medals – including two silver and a bronze. India had won gold in previous editions through Hima Das (2018) and Neeraj Chopra (2016). Though there was no gold medal for the country this time, long jumper Shaili Singh came close to clinching the yellow medal. Here is a look at Indian athletes’ performance at the event.

Shaili Singh (Silver in long jump)

Shaili, who hails from Jhansi, was raised by single mother Vanith who did tailoring to provide livelihood for her family. Shaili started running when she was at the school and she then joined in a hostel in Lucknow when her mother came to know about her interest in athletics. She then grew in stature and is now being coached by Anju Bobby George’s husband Robert Bobby George in Bengaluru.

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She recorded a jump of 6.59m on her third attempt but lost the gold by a mere centimetre. Sweden’s Maja Askag took the gold with a leap of .60m. The 17-year-old is confident of winning a gold at the World Athletics which will be held next year.

Amit Khatri: Silver in 10,000 race walk

Amit Khatri scripted history by winning India’s first-ever medal in the 10,000m race walk. He clocked 42.1.94 minutes for second place, just over seven seconds behind gold medallist from Kenya Heristone Wanyonyi.

Khatri hails from Ismaila in Rohtak, Haryana, His father Suresh Khatri was a BSF constable.

Khatri started off as a lazy athlete. He was forced by his father to do exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle. From there, he has come a long way. Coach Chandan Singh, who is still an active race walker, took Amit under his wings and started training him since 2018. Amit later revealed that he had difficulties in breathing during the race but he overcame tough conditions for second place.

4x400m Mixed relay team: Bronze medal

The Indian 4x400m mixed relay team set the tone by winning the bronze on the first day of the event. The quartet of S Bharat, Priya Mohan, Summy and Kapil clocked 3:20.60 seconds in the event, which is being introduced at the U-20 World Athletics this time.

Though Abdul Razak Rasheed was part of the team in the heats where they set a championship record with a timing of 3.23.36, he was then replaced by S Bharat.

The Karnataka athlete Priya Mohal, who also competed in the 400m, finished at the fourth place with a perusal best timing of 52.77s.

Meanwhile, men’s triple jumper Donald Makimairaj missed the bronze by 3 cm. He produced his personal best of 15.82m but that didn’t help him stand on the podium.
The women’s women’s 4x400m relay team of Payal Vohra, Summy, Rajitha Kunja and Priya Mohan also finished fourth with a season best timing of 3:40.45.

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