CAN ANYONE CONFIRM THAT ANJU GEORGE IS COACHED BY MIKE POWELL?
NEW DELHI, April 18 (AFP) - A determined Indianathlete is striving to give her country of one billionits first Olympic medal in athletics when she competesin the long jump event in Athens this year.
Anju George, who at last year’s World Championships inParis became the first Indian to win an athletics medalat a global meet, qualified for the Olympics during adomestic meet here and looked with confidence to herseason of reckoning.
It was not a bad beginning to the season and I amsure to do better in the days ahead,'' said George, whorecorded a best of 6.66 metres in her season opener. The unassuming George, who keeps a day job with thegovernment revenue department, has over the past fewyears emerged as one of India's most famous non-cricketsports personalities. Tall and as athletic as they come, George has provedherself time and again over the past few years and iscurrently ranked sixth in the world, a rarity for anIndian athlete. Exposure at various international meetings and atraining stint with all-time great long jumper MikePowell last year have enhanced both her reputation andranking. Bronze medals at the World Championships and at theCommonwealth Games at Manchester in 2002 are among herfistful of awards at important competitions. George recorded 6.49 metres at Manchester and the sameyear won gold at the Busan Asian Games with an effort of6.53 metres. Continuing her upward graph, she kickedsand at 6.70 metres at the World Championships. I have worked hard and am also one of the few luckyIndian athletes to have a full-time coach,’’ George saidin jest, referring to husband Bobby George, a formerlong-jumper who is now her coach.
George also won silver at a grand prix in Stockholmand gold at the Afro-Asian Games in the southern Indiancity of Hyderabad last year.
Powell has been a great help and has helped mefine-tune. It would have been great to spend more timewith him, but that was not possible,'' she said. George is upbeat about her chances in Athens as shefeels the conditions are likely to suit her. The weather in Athens in August will be quite hotand humid, which should be good for me,’’ said George,who concentrated on building her strength during theoff-season.
``I have been concentrating on strength, speed andendurance. I hope to now put all that to good use inwhat is going to be the most important season for me,’'she said.
Eight-time Olympic gold medallists in hockey, Indiahave struggled to win medals in other disciplines.
Woman weightlifter Karnam Malleswari and tennis playerLeander Paes are the only ones to have won individualmedals in recent years.
Malleswari won a bronze at Sydney in 2000 while Paeswon a singles bronze at Atlanta in 1996.
The only track and field athletes to come close to amedal were Milkha Singh and P.T. Usha.
Singh finished fourth in a close race at the 1960 RomeOlympics while Usha lost out on a bronze in the 1984 LosAngeles Olympics by hundredths of a second.