Anju looking beyond Athens

Confident of achieving her goal of winning a gold medal in the Athens Olympics next year, Anju Bobby George announced she is looking ahead to set a milestone.

Anju, who returned to Chennai, her place of residence, on Sunday, told a crowded press conference, "I am confident of winning the gold medal in the Athens Olympics next year, but my ultimate goal is to achieve something beyond the Olympic gold. I am thinking of leaping to a distance of 7.20 metres one day, sooner or later, in a world meet."

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Anju, who has been promoted as Superintendent in the Chennai Customs in recognition of her feat in the World Championships, said: "I am not going to compromise on anything less than winning the Olympic gold and hearing our National anthem being played and the tricolour being raised in Athens."

Her husband and coach, Bobby George, said, "My shoulders are strong enough to take Anju to the podium in the Athens Games and we have the hearts to make our Indian supporters feel proud.

"Anju is a natural champion and she has the confidence and potential to do 50 centimetres ahead of her World Championship bronze medal feat of 6.70metres. It is within her grab, if one has to go by the comments made by Jonathan Edwards, a world triple jump record holder, and some of the past masters of world athletics," he said.

Elaborating, Bobby said, "All these past masters, who assessed Anju's technical prowess during the Paris meet when she became India's first medal winner at the global level in athletics, including Olympics, have said 'Anju is far superior in technique compared to other jumpers in action'. We are right now spending lot of time in improving upon her technical abilities."

On her aim for an Olympic gold medal and looking further ahead, Bobby, who has planned Anju's schedule on road to Athens, said once her techniques are stabilised "we will concentrate on volume and load. If she masters all the techniques, Anju can reach even eight metres".

He is of the opinion that the weather in Paris was too chilly. "Otherwise Anju could have done much better. We were watching the body language of every jumper and I am sure Anju will beat them," he said.

Both Anju and her husband said tough economic background of the system is not supporting Indian athletics.

"But the Government of India has approved our suggestion to buy an air compressor machine, which is popular in Europe and America. Such equipment will help all Indian athletes increase their performance levels. This equipment is a specified machine. It can isolate the specific muscle group. If one needs to improve the strength on hamstring, the matchine can be isolated for it," they said.