Kerala's Ancy Sojan created history on Saturday by breaking the long-standing national record in women's long jump at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar.
I envy today's athletes because I was in wrong era: Anju Bobby George
Shaili Singh, 19, jumped 6.76m -- the second longest distance by an Indian woman in April, behind Anju Bobby George's record mark of 6.83m, which has stood for 19 years.
Legendary athlete Anju Bobby George believes it's just a matter of time before Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra delivers for the country at the big stage -- the Asian Games and 2028 Los Angles Olympic Games.
'Believe it or not, I'm one of the fortunate, among very few who reached the world top with a single KIDNEY, allergic with even a painkiller, with a dead takeoff leg.. Many limitations. still made it. Can we call it magic of a coach or his talent.'
World Athletics added that her efforts in advancing the sport in India as well as inspiring more women to follow in her footsteps make her "more than a worthy recipient" of this year's award.
According to reports, Anju (finished 5th) along with fellow long jumpers, Australia's Bronwyn Thompson (4th) and England's Jade Johnson (6th), have urged a probe into the long jump event at the Athens Olympics. The trio has alleged that the performance of the Russians - Tatyana Lebedeva, Irina Meleshina and Tatyana Kotova - who were on the podium at Athens 2004, - were not clean as they had been banned later for failing dope tests.
Shaili Singh announced her arrival on the big stage by winning a silver in the Under-20 World Athletics Championships, missing out on a historic gold by a mere 1 cm with a 6.59m effort, in the long jump final in Nairobi on Sunday.
Kerala's Ancy Sojan clinched the women's long jump title at the Indian Athletics Series Final, expressing strong confidence for the upcoming Asian Games where she aims to win gold and experience the national anthem on the podium.
Legendary Indian sprinter and Indian Olympic Association president P T Usha was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Indian Athletics Awards. Other recipients included Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, Bahadur Singh Chauhan, and Anju Bobby George, recognising their significant contributions to Indian athletics.
Mubassina Mohammed won the long jump gold at the fifth Indian Open Jumps Competition held at the Anju Bobby George Foundation Campus.
She covered 6.40 metres in the long jump event at the World Indoor athletics.
Anju Bobby George opened her European season by finishing fourth in the Norwich Union British Grand Prix
Ace Indian long jumper Anju Bobby George's season got off to a fine start as she clinched a silver medal at the Asian Indoors Athletics Championship in Doha on Thursday.
Anju Bobby George and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore were awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Arjuna award respectively.
Anju, who made her Grand Prix debut at the Peroni Golden Gala meet in Rome last week, touched a distance of 6.54 metres on Saturday night
Murali Sreeshankar has become the first Indian double medallist in Commonwealth Games long jump, securing a silver medal with a leap of 8.09 metres. This achievement marks an emotional comeback for the 27-year-old, who recovered from a career-threatening knee injury that forced him to miss his anticipated Olympic debut.
The national record in the men's 100m race was broken twice within minutes at the National Senior Athletics Federation Competition. Ancy Sojan won the women's long jump with a meet record, and Seema achieved the Commonwealth Games qualification mark in the women's discus throw.
Husband and coach Bobby George said Anju can smash the seven metre barrier as early as next month in the Afro-Asian Games.
Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar secured his second consecutive Commonwealth Games silver medal in Glasgow with a leap of 8.09 metres. This achievement marks an emotional comeback for the athlete, who battled a career-threatening knee injury in 2024, forcing him to miss the Paris Olympics. Despite his disappointment at not winning gold, Sreeshankar views this medal as a crucial stepping stone for the upcoming Asian Games.
The one-day meet on May 26 would be held at the Late Baburao Sanas Sports Complex in Pune.
The President said her World Athletics bronze medal will encourage more athletes to dream of similar feats.
The world number seven long jumper plans to compete in 10-12 events in her build up to the Athens Olympics in August.
Having won silver in Birmingham in 2022, 27-year-old Murali Sreeshankar added another medal to his collection at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games after producing a best leap of 8.09 metres, capping an emotional comeback from the career-threatening knee injury that had nearly derailed his career.
Sobha Developers, a Dubai-based real estate company, will fund the ace Indian long junper's training ahead of the Athens Olympics.
Star Indian high jumper Sarvesh Kushare has set a new national record by clearing 2.31m at the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar, becoming the first Indian to breach the 2.30m mark.
Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, who recently returned from a career-threatening injury, is confident of achieving a 'big jump' soon and aims to upgrade his silver medal to gold at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Anju is in Pune to take part in the long jump competition of the third and final leg of the Asian Grand Prix circuit to be held on Friday.
The 26-year-old said Athens would be her next target and would put all her effort to break the Olympic medal jinx of India.
Two-time Olympic medalist P V Sindhu and World Athletics Championship bronze medalist Anju Bobby George visited the Ahmedabad Military and Rifle Training Association range in Khanpur/
The World Athletics Championships bronze medallist said she needs to make some minor adjustments.
The ace Indian long jumper was robbed of all her valuables, including her passport, while training.
The top ranking also ensured Anju an automatic place in the World Athletics Final in Monaco.
The National Senior Athletics Federation Competition witnessed a national record being broken twice in the men's 100m race, along with other impressive performances in long jump and 10,000m races.
Anju tops the list of women's long jumpers while the US-based Gowda is the top-ranked men's discus thrower.
