It wasn’t the kind of afternoon the women’s long jump field would have been hoping for.
At the Indian Athletics Series – 3 in New Delhi, Asian Championships medallist Shaili Singh topped the standings, but the numbers told a quieter story. Her best jump of 6.24m was enough for first place, yet well below the 6.54m she managed at the previous meet in the series.
This was only her second competition of the season, and while early outings are often about finding rhythm, the overall standard remained modest.
Pariksha finished second with a jump of 6.10m, while Mubassina Mohammed was close behind at 6.05m. The margins were tight, but the distances suggested a field still searching for form rather than pushing boundaries.
For Shaili, the result keeps her at the top, but the expectation around her will be higher as the season progresses. For the rest, the gap remains bridgeable—but only if the numbers begin to move.