>Scorpions13256 at 17:53, 24 June 2021

2021-06-24T17:53:01Z

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{{short description|Indian athlete|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{BLP sources|date=May 2012}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name =Anju Bobby George
| image = 15Anju-Bobby-George1 (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Anju Boby George in 2006
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|4|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Cheeranchira|Changanassery]], [[Kottayam]], [[Kerala]], India
| height 160=
| weight 5o =
| country = {{IND}}
| sport = [[Athletics (sport)|Athletics]]
| event = [[Long jump]]<br>[[Triple jump]]
| coach =
| highestranking =
| pb = '''Long jump''': 6.83 m [[List of Indian records in athletics|NR]]<br>([[Athens]] 2004)<br>'''Triple jump''': 13.67 ([[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] 2002)
| medaltemplates =
{{Medal|Competition|[[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics|2003 Paris]]|[[2003 World Championships in Athletics – Women's long jump|Long jump]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[IAAF World Athletics Final|World Athletics Final]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2005 IAAF World Athletics Final|2005 Monte Carlo]]|Long jump}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[2002 Commonwealth Games|2002 Manchester]]|[[Athletics at the 2002 Commonwealth Games – Women's long jump|Long jump]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Asian Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2002 Asian Games|2002 Busan]]|[[Athletics at the 2002 Asian Games – Women's long jump|Long jump]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[2006 Asian Games|2006 Doha]]|[[Athletics at the 2006 Asian Games – Women's long jump|Long jump]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Asian Athletics Championships|Asian Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2005 Asian Athletics Championships|2005 Incheon]]|[[2005 Asian Athletics Championships – Women's long jump|Long jump]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[2007 Asian Athletics Championships|2007 Amman]]|[[2007 Asian Athletics Championships – Women's long jump|Long jump]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[South Asian Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2006 South Asian Games|2006 Colombo]] | [[Athletics at the 2006 South Asian Games|Long jump]]}}
| updated = 30 July 2013
| image
cast orthodox =
}}

'''Anju Bobby George''' (born 19 April 1977) is a retired [[India]]n athlete. She is India's first and only World Champion in the [[IAAF World Athletics Final]]. 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 m.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-championships/9th-iaaf-world-championships-in-athletics-2962/news/event-report-women-long-jump-final-2|title=EVENT REPORT WOMEN LONG JUMP FINAL|date=30 August 2003|publisher=IAAF}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=IAAF ratifies Anju's top finish in 2005 World Athletics Final|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/athletics/IAAF-ratifies-Anjus-top-finish-in-2005-World-Athletics-Final/articleshow/33087417.cms|access-date=30 March 2017|agency=PTI|newspaper=Times of India}}</ref> She was awarded the [[Arjuna Award]] in 2002, [[Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna|Khel Ratna]] in 2003 and [[Padma Shri]] in 2004..<ref name="The Hindu">{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/anju-bobby-george-is-now-a-gold-medallist/article5574525.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=Anju Bobby George is now a gold medallist | date=14 January 2014}}</ref>
She had got 5th position with personal best score of 6.83 at the [[2004 Athens Olympics]]. In March 2021, Anju won the [[BBC]] lifetime achievement award for best athlete in India.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Anju Bobby George bags BBC lifetime achievement award|url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/sports/sports-news/anju-bobby-george-bags-bbc-lifetime-achievement-award-sports-1.5504670|access-date=2021-03-10|website=Mathrubhumi|language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Anju was born in Kochuparambil family in Cheeranchira village of [[Changanassery]] taluk, [[Kottayam]], Kerala, in a Syrian Orthodox family, to K. T. Markose.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaonlinepages.com/sports/athletics/athletes/anjubobby-george.html|title=Anju Bobby George Profile - Anju Bobby George Biography - Indian Athlete Anju Bobby}}</ref> She was initiated into athletics by her father and her interest was further developed by her trainer in Koruthode school. She did her schooling in CKM Koruthode School and graduated from [[Vimala College]]. In the school athletic meet in 1991–92, she won the 100 m hurdles and relay and stood second in long jump and high jump events, thus becoming the women's champion. Anju's talent was noticed in the national schools games where she won third place in 100 m hurdles and 4 × 100 m relay.

==Professional career==
Although she started with [[Heptathlon]], she later began to concentrate on her jump events and went on to win long jump medal in the 1996 Delhi junior Asian championship. In 1999 Anju set the national record for [[triple jump]] in the [[Bangalore Federation Cup]] and silver medal at the South Asian Federation Games in [[Nepal]]. In 2001 Anju bettered her own record in long jump to 6.74 m in the National Circuit Meet at [[Thiruvananthapuram]]. In the same year she also won gold for triple jump and long jump in the Ludhiana National games. Anju reigned supreme in her events in the Hyderabad National games also. She won the bronze medal clearing 6.49 m at the [[2002 Commonwealth Games]] at [[Manchester]]. She also won the gold medal at the [[Asian Games]] in [[Busan]].

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 [[Athletics at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games|2003 Afro-Asian Games]]. She achieved her personal best of 6.83 m at the [[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's long jump|2004 Olympic Games]] at [[Athens]] that brought her the fifth position. This is the current [[List of Indian records in athletics|Indian national record]].<ref name="The Hindu"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianathletics.in/records/Records%20seniors%20(As%20on%2031.12.2011).pdf |title=National records |publisher=ATHLETICS FEDERATION of INDIA |date=31 December 2011 |access-date=17 August 2013 }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In September 2005, Anju won the gold medal in the women's long jump at the 16th Asian Athletics Championship in [[Incheon]] City of [[South Korea]] with a leap of 6.65 metres. She went on to win the gold medal at the IAAF World Athletics Final in 2005 with a leap of 6.75 m, a performance she considers her best. She won silver medal in women's long jump in 15th Asian Games, 2006 held at Doha. In 2007, Anju won silver medal in 17th Asian Athletics Championship at Amman (Jordan) with a jump of 6.65m and this qualified her for Osaka World Championship in August 2007 where she finished 9th. Anju start her 2008 season with silver medal in 3rd Asian Indoor Championship in athletics at Doha (Qatar) with a jump of 6.38m and she improved her distance to 6.50m by winning gold in the 3rd South Asian Athletics Championship at Kochi ( Kerala, India).

She received the [[Arjuna award]] in 2002–2003 for eminent sports persons 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.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web |url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 201}}</ref> Anju was ranked 28th on 12 February 2007 rankings of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)(She was once ranked World No. 4).

Anju's journey to success from rank 61 in 2001 to rank 6 in 2003 within a short span of two years, was one of sheer hard work and intensive planning. The credit for her success goes to her husband and coach Robert Bobby George, who, according to her, was the biggest influence who helped her in realising her potential and achieving the goal. Bobby, who is a mechanical engineer and a former national champion in triple jump himself, gave up his career to become a full-time coach to Anju in 1998. He belongs to a sports family and is the younger brother of the famous volleyball player. Anju and Bobby, realising that international exposure is essential for competing in world-class events, made necessary arrangements and trained with [[Mike Powell (athlete)|Mike Powell]], a world record holder, before the World Athletics meet, which gave her valuable exposure in technique.

She contested at the [[2004 Athens Olympics]] but remained on 5th position with her personal best score of 6.83. She also contested at the [[2008 Beijing Olympics]] but failed to qualify for the women's long jump event, fouling in all her three attempts.

Anju Bobby George pulled out of the 52nd national inter-state athletics in Hyderabad, due to an upper respiratory tract infection.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tournaments/london-olympics/Anjus-Olympic-hopes-suffer-setback/articleshow/14351316.cms | title= Anju's Olympic hopes suffer setback| date=23 June 2012 | work=The Times of India}}</ref>

==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 [[Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs|Customs department]] in [[Bangalore|Chennai]] . The couple have a son Aaron and a daughter Andrea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mangalam.com/women/personality/138350?page=0,1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140113164341/http://www.mangalam.com/women/personality/138350?page=0,1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-01-13 |title=Personal life }}</ref>

==Involvement with sports association==
The ace athlete was appointed as president of the Kerala State Sports Council (KSSC).<ref>{{cite news|title=Anju Bobby George to head Kerala Sports Council|url=http://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/anju-bobby-george-to-head-kerala-sports-council/722216|access-date=30 March 2017|agency=IANS|newspaper=The Free Press Journal}}</ref> She resigned from the post on 22 June 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Anju Bobby George steps down as president of Kerala Sports Council|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/anju-bobby-george-steps-down-as-president-of-kerala-sports-council-2869178/|access-date=30 March 2017|agency=PTI|newspaper=The Indian Express}}</ref> She is currently the Chairperson of TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) and is also the Executive member of Khelo India project instituted by the Government of India.

==Awards and honours==
* [[Arjuna Award]]–2003
* [[Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna]]–2004
* [[Padma Shri]]–2004
* [[BBC]] Lifetime achievement award–2021.

==See also==
* [[List of Indian women athletes]]
* [[List of Kerala Olympians]]
* [[Indian Squad for 2008 Olympics]]
* [[List of Indian records in athletics]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{iaaf name|id=174599|name=Anju Bobby George}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Sports}}
{{Footer Asian Games Champions Long Jump Women}}
{{Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardees}}
{{Padma Award winners of Kerala}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:George, Anju Bobby}}
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in sports]]
[[Category:People from Changanassery]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes of India]]
[[Category:Sportswomen from Kerala]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]
[[Category:Indian female long jumpers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian people]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists for India]]
[[Category:Asian Games medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists for India]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for India]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2006 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Athletes from Kerala]]
[[Category:South Asian Games gold medalists for India]]
[[Category:South Asian Games medalists in athletics]]

Anju Bobby George - Revision history

>Scorpions13256 at 17:53, 24 June 2021