The Hindu : Can Anju write a new chapter?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 23, 2003

Sport

Sport - Athletics

Can Anju write a new chapter?

By Our Special Correspondent

PARIS AUG. 22. Their best efforts, rarely matching those achieved back home, had hardly ever allowed the Indians a look into a second round, leave alone a final, at a World championships in recent times.

Expectations that there could well be a turnaround in Indian fortunes this time are mainly based on the rapid strides long jumper Anju George has made at the international level this season.

Anju is No. 8 in her event in the world rankings released this week, an achievement that has received little attention at home. But rankings will not eventually matter unless an athlete performs exceptionally well in big meets and, if possible, wins a medal.

Given the background of the `so-near-yet-so-far' stories involving Milkha Singh and P.T. Usha at the Olympics, not to speak of others who made the finals at the Olympics in the past, a medal at this level is next to impossible.

Can Anju write a new chapter in Indian athletics? Her recent form might have suggested an unexpected slump after an encouraging, but trying, sojourn through the cities of Europe.

The other main contender in the seven-member, all-woman Indian squad is discus thrower Neelam J. Singh. This is Neelam's third Worlds in succession. After claiming the silver at the Manchester Commonwealth Games, she had won the Asian Games gold last year with a splendid National mark of 64.55m at Busan.

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