Anju Bobby George

Anju Bobby George (born 19 April 1977) is a retired Indian athlete. Anju Bobby George made history when she won the bronze medal in long jump at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics in Paris. With this achievement, she became the first Indian athlete ever to win a medal in a World Championships in Athletics jumping 6.70 metres (22.0 ft).[1] She went on to win the gold medal at the IAAF World Athletics Final (a competition between best eight athletes in the world based on the world ranking) in 2005, a performance she considers her best. Anju was upgraded to the gold status from silver in the 2005 World Athletics Final in Monte Carlo following the disqualification of Tatyana Kotova of Russia by the International Association of Athletics Federations, following the recent re-testing of the latter's sample collected at the 2005 World Championship in Helsinki.[2] She was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2002, Khel Ratna in 2003 and Padma Shri in 2004.[3] She had got 5th position with personal best of 6.83 metres (22.4 ft) at the 2004 Athens Olympics. In March 2021, Anju won the BBC lifetime achievement award for best athlete in India.[4] She is also the current vice-president of the Athletics Federation of India.[5]

Anju Bobby George
Anju Boby George in 2006
Personal information
Birth nameAnju Markose
Born (1977-04-19) 19 April 1977
Changanassery, Kottayam, Kerala, India
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight66 kg (146 lb)
Sport
Country India
SportAthletics
Event(s)
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)Long jump: 6.83 m NR
(Athens 2004)
Triple jump: 13.67 (Hyderabad 2002)
Medal record
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
World Championships 0 0 1
World Athletics Final 1 0 0
Asian Games 1 1 0
Commonwealth Games 0 0 1
Asian Championships 1 1 0
South Asian Games 1 0 0
Total 4 2 2
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place2003 ParisLong jump
World Athletics Final
Gold medal – first place2005 Monte CarloLong jump
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place2002 ManchesterLong jump
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2002 BusanLong jump
Silver medal – second place2006 DohaLong jump
Asian Championships
Gold medal – first place2005 IncheonLong jump
Silver medal – second place2007 AmmanLong jump
South Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2006 Colombo Long jump
Updated on 30 July 2013.

Early life

Anju was born in Kochuparambil family in Cheeranchira village of Changanassery taluk, Kottayam, Kerala, in a Syria Orthodox Christian family, to K. T. Markose.[6]

Professional career

Anju made history when she won the bronze medal clearing 6.70 m in Long Jump at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics in Paris, becoming the first Indian athlete ever to win a medal in a World Championships in Athletics. She also won a gold medal at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games. She achieved her personal best of 6.83 m at the 2004 Olympic Games at Athens which brought her the fifth position. This is the current Indian national record.[3][7]

She received the Arjuna award in 2002–2003 for eminent sportspersons from the government of India and the country's highest sporting honour, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2003–2004 after her success in the World Athletic meet. She was conferred Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award in 2004.[8]

Anju Bobby George pulled out of the 52nd national inter-state athletics in Hyderabad, due to an upper respiratory tract infection.[9]

Personal life

Anju is married to Robert Bobby George, who is a former national champion in triple jump and her coach too. She is employed with the Customs department in Bangalore. The couple have a son Aaron and a daughter Andrea.[10]

Involvement with sports association

Anju was appointed as president of the Kerala State Sports Council (KSSC).[11] She resigned from the post on 22 June 2016.[12]

See also

References
  1. "EVENT REPORT WOMEN LONG JUMP FINAL". IAAF. 30 August 2003.
  2. "IAAF ratifies Anju's top finish in 2005 World Athletics Final". Times of India. PTI. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  3. "Anju Bobby George is now a gold medallist". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 14 January 2014.
  4. "Anju Bobby George bags BBC lifetime achievement award". Mathrubhumi. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  5. "Executives". Athletics Federation of India. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  6. "Anju Bobby George Profile - Anju Bobby George Biography - Indian Athlete Anju Bobby".
  7. "National records" (PDF). ATHLETICS FEDERATION of INDIA. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  8. "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  9. "Anju's Olympic hopes suffer setback". The Times of India. 23 June 2012.
  10. "Personal life". Archived from the original on 13 January 2014.
  11. "Anju Bobby George to head Kerala Sports Council". The Free Press Journal. IANS. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  12. "Anju Bobby George steps down as president of Kerala Sports Council". The Indian Express. PTI. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
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