Indian Athletics Thread ...

[sameerph]

At the Indian open jumps competition, in mens long jump, Jeswin Aldrin broke the national record with a jump of 8.42 m.

To put it in perspective, at Tokyo olympics gold medal went at 8.41m while gold at last world championships went at 8.36M.

So, this is a huge jump by Jeswin. Question is can he repeat this outside India ? First test will be at the Asian games where this level performance will easily win gold.

[arjun2761]

Wow, great performance! Our long jumpers are generally doing well in international competitions. So, hopefully this is another event (besides Javelin) where we can expect world class performances outside India.

[Atithee]

^^^A junior bested the Olympic and world championship mark? I am not buying it.

[ssp]

It's pointless to compare measurements like these v Olympics or World championships. Weather, wind, pressure can make a big difference. When it really matters, our guys will produce 3 foul jumps

[srini]

It's pointless to compare measurements like these v Olympics or World championships. Weather, wind, pressure can make a big difference. When it really matters, our guys will produce 3 foul jumps

All of the above make a difference, but the helpful guys who measure the jumps can make a bigger difference...simply unfair to omit their effort as a factor SSP

[prasen9]

Absolutely. Most possibly it is the officials who measure things. I have seen a little bit of nip and tuck myself in junior meets.

[Mugundan]

It's pointless to compare measurements like these v Olympics or World championships. Weather, wind, pressure can make a big difference. When it really matters, our guys will produce 3 foul jumps

It is also worth keeping in mind the "spinach factor" whenever a world-class performance comes up in Indian athletics. It might be rather unfair at times to doubt certain performances, but more often than not this factor has come into play.

[jayakris]

Okay, so we have heard from Mugu on this. Unless there is something Mugu has heard about there probably not being spinach involvement, "guilty until proven innocent" is in force on Indian athletes' eye-popping performances! (pop-eye and spinach, get it? )

[Saffron Lenin]

RAM BABOO CREATES NEW NR IN MEN'S 35KM RACEWALKING

In prestigious Dudinska 50 Racewalking Tour at Dudince (World Athletics Gold Level event) Ram Baboo clocked 2:29:56 (New NR) in Men's 35km RW & finished 5th.

He missed 2023 World Ch'ships qualification standard by 16 secs.

Source: Sports Arena Twitter

[Saffron Lenin]

As far as I can remember, he also performed good at national games at Gujarat!!!!

[sameerph]

Shaili's progression has been phenomenal. At 21 years Anju did 6.11, at 22 she was 6.37, at 23 reached 6.59. Around 6.59 is the range Shaili looks capable of at present plus or minus 5cm (the wind speed at Nairobi was marginally above at 2.2m/s for her 6.59 jump). Even if we consider she is capable at 17 a jump of 6.50m that would be way ahead of Anju. (Unfortunately, I don't have Anju's jump at 17 or 18 years). Thus there is hope that in another three years she would be past 6.83 (NR) and in another three years touching 7.00m. That is at 23 she could be doing 7-plus. Malaika Mihambo crossed 7.00 at the age of 25. The German, world and Olympic champion, was at 6.40 at the age of 17, 6.70 at 19, 6.90 at 20, 6.95 at 22, 6.99 at 24 before touching 7.30 in 2019. (She is down to 7.03 and 7.00 in 2020 and 2021, but maintaining 7.00 is always very difficult). Might not be the best example for progression but being a champion right now, her graph looks best suited for discussion. There is always the problem that an Indian athlete may not progress as per plans. gets stuck around 6.80 or 6.85 which could be just a few centimetres short of the desired distance at that point of time. It can happen. But a foreign coach (alone) might not be the answer to Shaili and India getting an Olympic medal. My hunch is Bobby will eventually prove Jay wrong!

Today in Indian grand Prix in Bengaluru, Shaili Singh who is 19 jumped to 6.76 M, second highest ever jump by an Indian just few CM short of Anju's national record of 6.83 M.

She had a brilliant series today with jumps of 6.58, 6.64, 6.66 and 6.76M, all of which were better than her previous best.

So, after a dull 2022 i think due to some injury, Shaili is right on mark for the progress which Anju and Bobby George talked about couple of years back that she will break Anju's national record in 3 years time. She came very close to it today in 2 years from that assertion.

[jayakris]

Whoa, those are some huge jumps. Is she in medal contention for the next Olympics then?

[sameerph]

Whoa, those are some huge jumps. Is she in medal contention for the next Olympics then?

Maybe too early. Tokyo bronze went at 6.97. I guess progressing that much in a little more than a year may be tough for Shaili.

But all these jumps are better than Asiad gold medalist last time. So, she is on track for that. But, we will wait for her to repeat these in few more competitions this year. Because I think this first time she has done this well since that junior WC medal 2 years back.

[Sin Hombre]

Let's wait for one outside India first.

[Mugundan]

Let's wait for one outside India first.

Agree. A few Diamond League meets and/or Continental Tour Gold meets would give us an idea about whether she can perform at these levels in bigger company. It will take time. But she is already ahead of time!