.jpg) Anju at the2006 Asian Games | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Anju Markose (1977-04-19)19 April 1977 (age 48) Changanassery,Kerala, India |
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track and field |
Event | Long jump |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personalbests | Long jump: 6.83 m (Athens, 2004)NR Triple jump: 13.67 (Hyderabad, 2002) |
Medal record | |
Anju Bobby George (born 19 April 1977) is an Indian formerlong jumper. She made history when she won the bronze medal inlong jump at the2003 World Championships. With this achievement, she became the first Indian athlete ever to win a medal at theWorld Championships jumping 6.70 metres (22.0 ft).[1] She went on to win the gold medal at theWorld Athletics Final in 2005, a performance she considers her best.
Anju was upgraded to the gold status from silver in the2005 World Athletics Final following the disqualification ofTatyana Kotova of Russia by theWorld Athletics, after the re-testing of the latter's sample collected at the2005 World Championship.[2] She was awarded theArjuna Award in 2002,Khel Ratna in 2003 andPadma Shri in 2004.[3] She finished 5th position with a personal best of 6.83 metres (22.4 ft) at the2004 Athens Olympics. In March 2021, she won theBBC lifetime achievement award for best athlete in India.[4] She is the current Senior Vice President ofAthletics Federation of India.[5]
Anju was born into the Kochuparambil family in the village ofCheeranchira nearChanganassery town,Kottayam,Kerala toSyrian OrthodoxChristian K. T. Markose.[6]
Anju made history when she won the bronze medal clearing 6.70 m in Long Jump at the2003 World Championships in Athletics in Paris, becoming the first Indian athlete ever to win a medal in aWorld Championships in Athletics. She also won a gold medal at the2003 Afro-Asian Games. She achieved her personal best of 6.83 m at the2004 Olympic Games atAthens which brought her the fifth position. This is the currentIndian national record.[3]
She received theArjuna 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 conferredPadma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award in 2004.[7]
Anju Bobby George pulled out of the 52nd national inter-state athletics in Hyderabad, due to an upper respiratory tract infection.[8]
Anju is married toRobert Bobby George, who is a former national champion in triple jump and her former coach. She is employed with theCustoms department inBangalore. The couple has a son Aaron and a daughter Andrea.[9]
Anju was appointed as president of the Kerala State Sports Council (KSSC).[10] She resigned from the post on 22 June 2016.[11] She is the vice president of theAthletics Federation of India.
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