Robert Bobby George, the coach and mentor of the new sensation in Indian athletics Shaili Singh hailed his student's bronze medal in the Japan Grand Prix a couple of days ago as 'precious'. The reason is Shaili took part in her first international Grand Prix, a senior-level competition with the weakness she originated from deadly Covid-19 only a couple of weeks ago.

Speaking to Parallel Sports over the phone from Bangalore on Wednesday, Robert described saying, "Shaili was attacked by the deadly disease in the last week of April. She had to go on quarantine for around 10 days, staying alone in the SAI hostel, in Bangalore. She missed almost 20 days of training. Then she had just resumed training slowly and at the time of participation in the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Japan, she hardly recovered from the disease. She was having breathing problems during the event. Still, she finished with the bronze medal in her event jumping 6.65 meters was not at all easy. From that perspective, it was no doubt a special performance." 

Robert at the same time divulged that Shaili became frustrated for missing the junior Federation Cup. Shaili was taking special preparation for the junior Federation Cup. We motivated her. The confirmation of her participation in the Seiko Golden Prix turned out as a boost. Commenting on Shaili's performance in Japan, Robert exclaimed, "This competition gave us confidence. Shaili bettered than Asia's most of the top triple jumpers in Japan and that happened at the age of 19 only. So, looking forward to the Asian Championship in July and then the Asian games, I am optimistic that Shaili will better her current mark. She has the potential of being a star at the senior level." 

Robert is now focusing on Shaili's next step where she can cross 6.80 meter-mark. Robert is confident Shaili can do it and says it can happen any day. Anju Bobby George's national record of jumping 6.83 meters since 2004 is still yet to broken.