Anju Bobby George hit the headlines when she won the bronze medal 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. Not the one to rest on her laurels, she won the silver medal at the IAAF World Athletics Final in 2005 with a leap of 6.75 m.
Born in Changanassery, Kerala on April 19, 1977, she was initiated into athletics at an early age by her father. Her trainer Mr. Thomas in school fuelled her interest in athletics. Her talent was recognized at the national level when she won medals at the national schools games. In 1999, she set the national record for triple jump in the
Bangalore Federation Cup. She improved on her own record in the National Circuit Meet at Thiruvananthapuram. She won the gold medals in the triple jump and long jump in the Ludhiana and
Hyderabad National Games.
She won the gold medal at the Asian Games in Busan, South Korea. Her personal best was a jump of 6.83 m at the 2004 Summer Olympics at Athens, but it fetched her only the sixth position. Her recent victories include a silver medal in women's long jump in the Doha Asian Games,2006.
She was a recipient of the prestigious Arjuna award in 2002-2003. She was also awarded the country's highest sporting honour, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2003-2004, besides being awarded the Padma Shri in 2004. She has trained under her husband and coach Bobby George, a former National Champion in Triple jump.
